Commerce | Studies, essays, thesises » Cindys Guide to Living Cheaply in Champaign Urbana

Source: http://www.doksinet The Original, Often Imitated, New and Improved Cindys Guide to Living (cheaply) in Champaign-Urbana 2018 Source: http://www.doksinet July 2018 Hi! I want to welcome you to Champaign-Urbana, Urbana-Champaign, C-U, U-C, or Shampoo-Bananait’s all the same place! The twin cities are divided by a single street -- Wright Street -- which runs through the center of campus. If you are west of Wright Street, you are in Champaign, to the east, you are in Urbana. I developed this handbook back in 1994 in an attempt to help students new to town learn the little secrets the "townies" know about C-U. I know that grad school is a big enough transition without the added stress of being new to a community. I hope this will help ease that stress by giving some ideas about where to go and how to easily get around town. I am a "townie"; born and raised in C-U. I graduated from both Urbana High School and the University of Illinois (in psychology)

decades ago. I lived in Los Angeles for 11 years, but always considered C-U my home. I returned to town in 1992, to a very fast-growing area -- where miles of cornfields once stood, shopping malls and restaurants now thrive. When I lived in LA, I could have definitely used a guide such as this. Living with a grad student husband, and only getting paid once a month, we had to learn to budget carefully. I have never completely given up that budget-conscious lifestyle. Thus, most of the places I talk about in this guide are relatively inexpensive, though I do mention (and recommend) some of the more expensive places to go. This list is primarily comprised of places where I actually shop, eat, and visit. My lists are, as a result, limited. There are many other places besides the ones I include here, and many are just as good, Im sure Its all relatively subjective. I also primarily list places off campus, as you are more apt to find the hidden gems on campus yourselves. I have included

other information that may come in handy for new graduate students such as emergency, utility company, and University phone numbers, along with news sources, and some ways to get around town. I hope you will find the information in this guide useful. This is a wonderful community to live in, with lots of variety, and new businesses starting up all the time. Sometimes these restaurants and businesses only stay around for a short time, and as a result, this guide may be out of date in a matter of months. So, if you like a place, be sure to visit it frequently. Always support your favorite local businesses! Here is one final money saving tip: Always ask if a business has a STUDENT DISCOUNT. Many businesses are very supportive of our students and offer special discounts on their goods and services to students who show them a student ID card. It may be $1 or 10%, but it all adds up over time! If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask me. And if you need help navigating

graduate school, check out the Graduate College’s New Grad Student Welcome Guide at www.gradillinoisedu/quick-guide I sincerely hope you enjoy your time in C-U! Cindy Dodds, Graduate Program Coordinator Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Source: http://www.doksinet Table of Contents IMPORTANT PHONE NUMBERS . 1 EMERGENCY NUMBERS. 1 Hospitals . 1 Champaign . 1 Urbana . 1 University of Illinois. 1 Champaign County Sheriff . 1 Illinois Road Conditions . 1 24-Hour Hotlines . 1 UNIVERSITY PHONE NUMBERS . 2 TENANT’S UNIONS/LOCAL UTILITIES (CUSTOMER SERVICE NUMBERS) . 2 Tenant’s Unions. 2 Utilities . 2 Phone Companies (Land Lines/Internet) . 2 Cable/Satellite Services . 2 Cell Phone Companies. 2 POST OFFICES 800-ASK-USPS WWW.USPSCOM 3 NEWS/TV/RADIO . 4 LOCAL SUBSCRIPTION NEWSPAPER SERVICE . 4 FREE PAPERS. 4 LOCAL TELEVISION STATIONS . 4 LOCAL RADIO STATIONS . 5 GETTING AROUND . 6 C-U MASS TRANSIT DISTRICT (CU MTD) . 6 BICYCLES . 6 MOTORIZED VEHICLES . 6 Drivers License Examination

Station (aka DMV) . 7 Division of Campus Parking. 7 Zipcar . 7 Uber Cars/Taxis . 7 Purchasing a Vehicle . 7 Car Repair . 8 SHOP ‘TILL YOU DROP! . 9 FOOD SHOPPING . 9 Grocery Stores . 9 Farmers Markets . 9 Roadside Produce Stands. 9 SPECIALTY SHOPS . 10 International Food Shops . 10 Butcher Shops . 10 SUPER DISCOUNT STORES . 11 Special Discount Stores . 11 Farm Stores . 11 PHARMACIES (DRUG STORES) . 12 CVS Drug Stores www.cvscom 12 Walgreen Drug Stores www.walgreenscom 12 SHOPPING MALLS. 13 STRIP MALLS . 13 CLOTHING AND ACCESSORIES . 15 Cindy’s Favorite Department Store . 15 “Budget” Clothing Stores . 15 Used Clothing Stores . 15 Retro Clothing . 15 Consignment Clothing Stores . 15 Source: http://www.doksinet ii FURNITURE AND HOME DECOR . 16 Used Furniture Stores . 16 New Furniture Stores . 16 High-End Furniture. 16 Home Decor . 17 HOME IMPROVEMENT STORES . 18 ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT . 18 Electronic Repairs. 18 Computer Repairs . 19 FOR A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING . 19 YMCA

Dump and Run . 19 Champaign County Humane Society GIANT Garage Sale . 19 BOOKSTORES AND LIBRARIES . 20 Libraries . 20 Bookstores . 20 New Age and Comic books . 20 Used Books . 20 Big Corporate Chain Bookstore . 20 MISCELLANEOUS . 21 LOOKIN’ GOOD - BEAUTY SALONS AND SPAS . 21 Hair Care. 21 Beauty Schools . 21 Full Salon Treatments/Spa. 21 CALLING ALL PET LOVERS . 22 Pet Emergencies . 22 Lost Pets . 22 Looking to Adopt a Pet? . 22 ENTERTAINMENT. 23 ON CAMPUS. 23 INDOOR RECREATION . 23 Theatre-Live . 23 Theatre-Movie . 24 Movie Rentals/Sales . 24 Museums . 25 Arts & Crafts/Scrapbooking/Fabrics/Party Supplies . 26 Gaming . 26 Dance/Live Music Venues . 27 Indoor Sports . 29 OUTDOOR RECREATION . 30 Outdoor Festivals . 30 Parks and Nature Preserves . 31 Other attractions . 32 Astronomy . 33 RESTAURANTS . 34 COFFEE SHOPS . 34 Local shops . 34 National shops . 34 Distributors . 34 DESSERTS . 35 Frozen Custard – A Midwest favorite (and Cindys favorite, too!) . 35 Ice Creams and Frozen

Yogurt . 35 Chocolates and Candies . 35 BAKERIES AND DESSERT SHOPS . 36 Bakery Outlet Stores . Error! Bookmark not defined Cakes and Pies . 36 Source: http://www.doksinet iii Specialty Bakeries . 36 Breads and Rolls . 37 Donuts and Bagels . 37 AMERICAN FOOD . 37 Breakfast . 37 Family Style Restaurants (that also serve awesome breakfasts) . 38 Good Food Fast . 39 Big Chain Burger Joints . 40 Barbeque Joints. 40 Sandwich Shops. 40 On-Campus Gems . 41 FOOD TRUCKS. 41 MEXICAN FOOD . 42 PIZZA/ITALIAN FOOD. 43 Inexpensive pick-up/delivery chain store pizzas on campus . 43 Moderately priced pizza – but worth it! . 43 CAJUN/SOUTHERN . 44 INDIAN FOOD . 44 GREEK/MIDDLE EASTERN FOOD . 44 THAI, JAPANESE, CHINESE FOOD . 45 Thai . 45 Chinese . 45 Japanese/Sushi . 46 VEGETARIAN FARE . 46 RESTAURANT/BARS . 46 OUT OF MY NORMAL PRICE RANGE . 48 Upscale Italian Places . 48 Steakhouses . 48 Seafood /Fine Dining . 48 Source: http://www.doksinet Important Phone Numbers If you are calling a

University number from a University phone, you only dial the last 5 digits of the phone number (e.g, to call 333-3640 from a campus phone, you dial 33640.) Unless it is a 300-XXXX number, then you must dial all 7 digits When calling an outside line from a campus phone, you need to dial a 9 first, then the number. All local phone numbers within Champaign-Urbana and surrounding area are in the 217 area code. (ie: 217-300-8707) As long as the number you are calling from is within the 217 area code, there is no need to dial 217. Emergency Numbers If you find yourself in a life threatening emergency (fire, severe accident, robbery, assault, etc.) always call 911 first! Life Threatening Emergency call: 911 (on campus: 9-911) METCAD ( 911 Service for Champaign County) – Non-Emergency contact 333-8911 As graduate students, you can utilize either Carle or Presence Covenant Hospitals in an emergency. For regular health care, you should first contact McKinley Health Center on campus (listed

under University Phone Numbers). Hospitals Carle Hospital 611 W Park, Urbana 383-3311 OSF Heart of Mary Medical Center 1400 W Park, Urbana 337-2131 www.carlecom Emergency/Level I Trauma Center www.osfhealthcareorg Emergency/Level II Trauma Center Patient Advisory Nurse: 383-3233 https://www.osfhealthcare org/heart-of-mary/ Virtual Urgent Care: osfoncall.org/#/home Champaign 351-4545 403-7200 champaignil.gov/police police@champaignil.gov champaignil.gov/fire FireDepartment@champaignil.gov 384-2320 384-2420 www.urbanaillinoisus/police www.urbanaillinoisus/fire Police Emergency Dean of Students 5pm-8:30am 333-1216 333-0500 police.illinoisedu police@illinois.edu odos.illinoisedu/community- helpdean@illinoisedu of-care/emergency-dean/ Champaign County Sheriff Incidents outside C-U city limits Illinois Road Conditions 384-1204 www1.cochampaignilus/SHE RIFF/HOME.PHP Police non-emergency Fire non-emergency Urbana Police non-emergency Fire non-emergency University of Illinois

800-452-IDOT sheriff@co.champaignilus www.idotillinoisgov 24-Hour Hotlines Crisis Line Local suicide prevention hotline Rape Crisis Hotline Illinois Poison Center Rosecrance substance abuse treatment 359-4141 rosecrancechampaignurbana.org 384-4444 800-222-1222 328-4500 www.cu-racesorg illinoispoisoncenter.org rosecrancechampaignurbana. org/our-services/substanceabuse-treatment/ info@cu-races.org Source: http://www.doksinet 2 University Phone Numbers Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering chbe.illinoisedu 300-8707 chbe.illinoisedu/directory/profile dodds@illinoisedu Cindy Dodds, Graduate Program Coordinator /dodds Graduate College International Student & Scholar Services Student Benefits Center (Health/Dental) McKinley Health Center Counseling Center Student Affairs Graduate Library Technology Services at Illinois Help Desk Division of Campus Recreation General Information 333-0035 333-1303 333-0165 333-2701 333-3704 333-1300 333-2290 244-7000 www.gradillinoisedu

isss.illinoisedu si.illinoisedu www.mckinleyillinoisedu counselingcenter.illinoisedu studentaffairs.illinoisedu www.libraryillinoisedu techservices.illinoisedu/gethelp/help-desk 333-3806 www.campusrecillinoisedu 333-1000 illinois.edu grad@illinois.edu isss@illinois.edu insure@illinois.edu consult@illinois.edu campusrec@illinois.edu Tenant’s Unions/Local Utilities (Customer Service Numbers) Before you put your deposit down to rent a house or apartment, you may want to speak to a Tenants Union first. They can give you free information regarding your potential landlord. If you are a student and have paid your SORF fee, contact the campus tenant’s union. If you are a non-student or incoming student, contact the C-U Tenant’s Union Tenant’s Unions University of Illinois at U-C 326 Illini Union Champaign-Urbana Tenant’s Union 44 E Main St, Ste 208, Champaign 333-0112 www.tenantunionillinoisedu 352-6220 www.tenantunionillinoisedu/hoursnonstudentshtml After you have

rented/purchased your new place, here are some numbers that may come in handy. Utilities Illinois-American Water Company Ameren IL (Electric/Gas) 800-422-2782 800-755-5000 amwater.com/ilaw www.amerencom/illinois 800-288-2020 800-934-6489 844-987-3260 www.attcom www.xfinitycom mediacomcable.com 800-934-6489 www.xfinitycom 800-531-5000 866-411-1606 877-976-0711 www.directvcom www.dishcom i3broadband.com Phone Companies (Land Lines/Internet) AT&T Xfinity/Comcast Mediacom Cable/Satellite Services Xfinity/Comcast (Cable/Broadband/Email/Voice) DirecTV (Satellite) Dish Network (Satellite) i3 Broadband (limited areas) Cell Phone Companies There are so many different cell phone companies to choose from that I have decided not to list them. I personally use Verizon and have been quite happy with them. They give an 18% discount for being a University of Illinois employee, so if you go with them be sure to mention you work here! Source: http://www.doksinet 3 Post Offices

800-ASK-USPS www.uspscom Campus Champaign Station A 302 E Green Street University Station Altgeld Hall, 1st floor 1409 W Greet Street Enter through Wright Street side Champaign Champaign Main Post Office 2001 N Mattis Avenue Champaign-Neil Street Station 600 N Neil Street Urbana Urbana Post Office 3100 E Tatman Court (on Rte 130 off Rte 150) Southeast Urbana Downtown Urbana Post Office 202 S Broadway Avenue 328-5200 367-9890 373-6018 352-2167 337-6297 If you receive a package there, they can send it to the Broadway Office if you call them. Window Services Only 367-9629 Source: http://www.doksinet 4 News/TV/Radio There are a variety of printed news sources in town. You can also find newspaper machines and vendors that sell national papers like the USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Chicago Tribune, or New York Times. Local Subscription Newspaper Service 351-5252 or 800-660-7323 The News-Gazette Local news, events, & entertainment. Conservative views 15 E Main, Champaign

www.news-gazettecom Free Papers You can pick these up around town at local restaurants & stores. Daily Illini Independent student newspaper 512 E Green, 3rd Floor, Champaign The Buzz Alternative Lifestyle Paper 512 E Green, 3rd Floor, Champaign The Public I Alternative News 202 S Broadway #100, Urbana Thrifty Nickel On Line Weekly sales/ads 337-8300 dailyillini.com online@dailyillini.com 337-8300 readbuzz.com Submit a tip: news@dailyillini.com buzz@readbuzz.com 344-8820 publici.ucimcorg imc@ucimc.org 356-4804 850-833-2648 champaign.thriftynickelcom Local Television Stations These stations are all available with basic cable access. With other cable or dish network packages, you can receive 100+ stations, including channels featuring all news; all music; all weather; all sports; home & garden shows; and premium movie stations like HBO, Showtime, Starz, and Cinemax. National Local Local Local City Station is Station Station Channel Broadcast From CBS WCIA 3

Champaign/Springfield/Decatur CBS WCIX 49 Springfield PBS WILL 12 University of Illinois - Urbana ABC WICD 15 Champaign-Urbana/Danville NBC WAND 17 Decatur FOX WCCU 27 Champaign WRSP 55 Springfield URL illinoishomepage.net illinoishomepage.net will.illinoisedu newschannel20.com www.wandtvcom www.foxillinoiscom Source: http://www.doksinet 5 Local Radio Stations You can receive dozens of radio stations in East Central Illinois. I have only listed a very few here Most have livestreaming options so you can listen while you are on your computer FM WPCD WEFT WREE WLRW WHMS WIXY WGKC WPGU WKIO AM WILL WDWS Number 88.7 90.1 92.5 94.5 97.5 100.3 105.9 107.1 107.9 Number 580 1400 Type of music/station Parkland College/alternative Community Radio for East Central Illinois Rewind Mix 94.5 Lite rock Today’s Country Favorites Country US U of I/alternative music Classic hits Type of music/station Public Broadcasting/talk/news/weather “NewsTalk1400”/weather/sports URL wpcd.parklandedu

new.weftorg rewind925.com www.mix945com www.whmscom www.wixycom country1059.com wpgu.com www.1079wkiocom URL will.illinoisedu www.news-gazettecom/wdws Source: http://www.doksinet 6 Getting Around I find that many students walk to and around campus.its cheap and its good exercise However, probably the most efficient way for students to travel on campus and around town is by Bus C-U Mass Transit District (CU MTD) 1101 E University, Urbana 384-8188 www.cumtdcom mtdweb@cumtd.com Office open 8-5 Mon- Sat As a student, you are entitled to ride the MTD for FREE (OK, you actually pay for this privilege with part of your student fees), including shuttle buses and Saferides. You must present your I-card in order to ride free of charge Non-students pay $1.00 a ride, with one free transfer Shuttle buses around campus run regularly and often, throughout the school year. Saferides are available after normal working hours throughout the school year. Schedules are available: on buses, at

Illini Union, at MTD, and on-line Bicycles Many students also ride bicycles. In Fall 2014, Urbana was listed as a Gold Bicycle Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists (www.bikeleagueorg/community) - one of 26 cities given that honor In Spring 2017, Champaign received a Silver ranking. There are bike paths all around town A new riding/hiking trail is under construction to link Urbana to Danville along an old abandoned railroad track. The Kickapoo Rail Trail from Urbana to St Joseph opened in Summer 2017! Remember to ride defensively, and watch for other bikes, other vehicles of the 2 or 4+ wheel varieties, and especially pedestrians. You will need to register your bicycle with Campus Parking (see below) If you are looking to purchase a bike, I’ve always gone to Durst Cycles. I got my first bike there when I was about 8 years old. Check out their huge “garage sale” every fall There are several other places in town that sell/repair bikes as well Durst Cycle &

Fitness 1201 S Mattis, Champaign 1112 W University, Urbana 352-3300 367-3600 www.durstcyclecom durstcycle@gmail.com jdurst74@gmail.com You can also pick up used bikes, which are usually much less expensive than new at: Police Sales/Auctions -- The Champaign, Urbana, and Campus Police departments hold sales/auctions each year to dispose of impounded/stolen/lost bicycles. Call the police stations for dates You can get some very good deals on almost new bikes at these events. People line up around the block for a chance at a new bike Garage Sales and Newspaper Ads -- Look in local papers for sales. If you are patient and are diligent, you can get some real bargains! If you like to build, work on, or repair your own bike, check out The Bike Project of Urbana-Champaign (thebikeproject.org, contact@thebikeprojectorg) for DIY work space, tools, and a community of like-minded individuals! Motorized Vehicles Scooters and motorcycles are quite popular forms of transportation, especially

when fuel costs are high. I strongly suggest, before investing in a 2-wheeled vehicle, that you take the Motorcycle Rider Program (cce.iccedu/motorcycle) The class is very popular, so you should register early, or try to come in as a walk-in. I began the course once when it was offered throu U of I and soon realized I was not cut out for driving a two-wheeled motorized vehicle; but it did make me a better passenger. If driving to campus, there are motorcycle-designated parking spaces in most lots that you can rent, and you do have to register all vehicles parked in University lots (see Parking below). Source: http://www.doksinet 7 Driving your car to campus is not recommended. It is very hard to find parking on campus; parking meters run $100 for 1 hour; and the cities of Champaign and Urbana, along with Campus Parking, love to give parking tickets (with prices ranging from $7-$50 a ticket)! If you are lucky enough to get a University rental spot, it can cost you over several

hundred dollars a year. Additionally, you must register your car with Campus Parking Here are some addresses you may find helpful should you decide to drive anyway. To obtain a driver’s license, so you may legally operate motorized vehicles in the State of Illinois: Office of the Illinois Secretary of State (aka DMV) 2012 Round Barn Center, Champaign 800-252-8980 278-3344 www.cyberdriveillinoiscom Hours of operation: 8:00am-5:00pm Tu-Fri (till 5:30pm Tu). 7:30am-12:00noon Sat If you plan to take a driving "road" test you must arrive at least 2 hours before closing, and you must show a vehicle insurance card. You must present acceptable identification in order to apply for a license for the first time. For specific details see: www.cyberdriveillinoiscom/publications/pdf publications/dsd x173pdf If you want shorter lines and wait times, visit the Rantoul (892-8773), Tuscola (253-2813) or Monticello (762-2841) offices! During the academic year, the mobile DMV unit comes to

the Illini Union for one day (9:30am-3pm), generally the last Wednesday of the month. It has become quite popular, so prepare for a short waitbut nothing like the main branch To register cars, bikes, motorcycles on campus and to purchase annual or daily parking permits: Division of Campus Parking 1201 W University Avenue, Urbana 333-3530 www.parkingillinoisedu parkingcomments@illinois.edu Located in the parking garage west of the Beckman, across from Perkins Zipcar If you don’t want to purchase a vehicle, but don’t want to carry a load of groceries on the bus, rent a Zipcar. Become a member for a nominal fee, and pay for only the time you use the car - and you don’t pay for gas or insurance! There are 10 Zipcars located at various locations around Champaign-Urbana and on campus. Call 1-866-4ZIPCAR or visit www.zipcarcom/universities/university-of-illinois-champaign-urbana for more information Many of our students use this service regularly and there are University affiliate

rates available. Uber Cars/Taxis Relatively new to the area, you can call for an Uber or Lyft driver to provide you with transportation around town. You can also call one of the many taxi cab companies in town. I have used several companies including: Arrow, (318-9009), R&H Cab (721-6095), and Safeway (637-1573). Arrow is owned by a high school friend of mine and is very reliable!! Purchasing a Vehicle If you plan to purchase a car to use while you are here, there are many reputable dealerships in town. You can also find good deals on used cars on-line, in the newspaper, or at some used car lots. But “buyer beware” when purchasing a used car! Make sure you take it on a test drive to see how it runs before you purchase it and then take it to a good mechanic as soon as possible to make sure everything under the hood is as it should be. If you are in the market for a motorcycle, there are a couple motorcycle dealerships in town that sell new and used bikes and a couple that sell

nice used bikes. Again, you can find used motorcycles in the newspaper or on-line If you need info on repair shops, please contact me. I know a couple good ones Please remember if you do decide to purchase a vehicle, you are required by law to purchase insurance, must pay an annual registration fee with the State of Illinois, and have a valid US driver’s license. Source: http://www.doksinet 8 Car Repair If you have your own car, chances are you will need something repaired at some point, and regular maintenance to keep it running in tip top shape. If you purchase a new car, you will probably need to go through the dealership where you purchase the vehicle. It costs more, but many car makers require new cars be taken to a dealer for warranty/prescribed maintenance and covered repairs. Here are a few non-dealerships I have used over the years: Farm & Fleet www.farmandfleetcom 2701 N Cunningham, Urbana 367-1354 Where I go for oil changes, tire rotations, and other minor vehicle

repairs. They also sell tires, new auto parts, food, clothes, etc. Sammy’s Auto Electric Service Inc 1907B W Springer Dr, Champaign 398-3864 CarX Tire and Auto www.carxcom 601 E University Ave, Champaign 352-0124 906 W Bradley, Champaign 352-9700 2216 S Neil St, Champaign 531-3900 Fix brakes and exhaust systems, oil changes, tires. Alternators, starters, generators, etc. Custom electrical rebuilding, diagnostics, and installations. There are many “quickie” oil change places in town. I’ve used these before: Jiffy Lube www.jiffylubecom 1201 N Prospect Ave, Champaign 351-5823 1901 S Neil St, Champaign 351-4116 Wal-Mart Tire and Lube Express www.walmartcom 2610 N Prospect, Champaign 352-0700 100 S High Cross Rd, Urbana 344-6148 505 S Dunlap, Savoy 355-5845 Oil/tire changes. If you are mechanically inclined, or have very minor repairs to make, here are some places where you can pick up parts for your vehicles. You can also find these items at places like Farm and Fleet, WalMart,

and Meijer NEW parts Auto Zone www.autozonecom 311 E University Ave, Champaign 352-2522 609 N Mattis Ave, Champaign 356-7068 606 E Main St, Urbana 328-9903 Advance Auto Parts shop.advanceautopartscom 403 N Mattis Ave, Champaign 356-7069 805 W Marketview Dr, Champaign 356-9661 110 N Vine St, Urbana 337-0072 USED parts Mack’s Auto Recycling www.macks-autocom 1309 E Kerr, Urbana (auto) 367-6219 Used parts, used cars, and repair service available. macksauto@macksrecycling.com They also run Mack’s Twin City Recycling at 2808 N Lincoln Ave, Urbana (328-2100) for your household recycling drop-offs. Bill Smith Auto www.billsmithautocom 3405 N Countryview Rd, Urbana 367-5090 Just off Route 45. They can also work on your car or sell you a used one. Source: http://www.doksinet 9 Shop ‘Till You Drop! Food Shopping There are many different places to shop for food in Champaign-Urbana. You can find just about anything you crave! Grocery Stores “No-Frill”/ “Warehouse” Grocery

Stores These places are the cheapest grocery stores in town! They mainly carry generic, or non-commercial brand name, food items, though they do have good deals on some name brand items. These places are where to go if you are on a budgetor just like to save money. NOTE: At Aldi’s, Save-A-Lot, and Ruler, you will need to bring your own bags and generally have to pay a quarter to use one of their shopping carts (refundable when you place it in the cart return). Aldi aldi.us 801 W Interstate Dr, Champaign 3102 E University Ave, Urbana 605 N Dunlap Ave, Savoy Ruler Foods www.jaycfoodscom 716 W Town Center Blvd, Champaign 356-7100 2002 W Springfield, Champaign 373-1450 Save-A-Lot save-a-lot.com 220 N Broadway, Urbana 384-6885 GFS www.gfscom 502 W Town Center Blvd, Champaign 356-3056 County Market www.countymarketcom County Market stores are probably the next least expensive grocery stores (not including the Super Discount Stores listed later). They generally have good prices on fruit

and vegetables, have weekly specials, and have their own delis and bakeries They also have their own “brands” which are just as good as commercial brands, and are cheaper! Both are open 24 hours. 331 Stoughton St (near campus at Springfield Ave), Champaign 352-4123 2901 W Kirby Ave (at Duncan Road), Champaign 351-8600 Also owned by the Neimann Foods company, ValuCheck (1914 Glenn Park (off Mattis, N of I-72), Champaign 356-8242) is a lower-end store. Harvest Market, (2029 S Neil St, Champaign 355-7878) on the other hand, is an upscale store They offer a restaurant, bakery, deli, bar, cooking education area and more! www.goharvestmarketcom Schnuck’s schnucks.com If you can afford it, Schnucks stores are really nice. They tend to be a bit expensive, but have incredible selections on produce, meat, and bakery items. You can find lower price items on sale 109 N Mattis (south of I-72 exit), Champaign 351-2600 (6am-midnight) 200 N Vine St, (corner of Main and Vine), Urbana 337-6016 (24

hours) 1301 Savoy Plaza Center, Savoy 373-0700 (6am-midnight) Farmers Markets During the summer months and early fall (May-November), there are many outdoor Farmers Markets that sell fresh produce from local growers. Several of the shopping malls will host these markets in their parking lots at various times during the week, as well as on the Quad, and in some neighborhoods around town. Market at the Square is a Saturday morning farmers market located at Lincoln Square in Urbana (urbanamarket.org 384-2319) It is loaded with wonderful finds from the area – baked goods, produce, flowers, etc. They move inside during part of the winter! Check the papers for other locations Roadside Produce Stands You can also find Roadside Produce Stands that sell Indiana melons, sweet corn, and tomatoes toward the end of the summer. Nothing is better than fresh-off-the-farm Illini Double sweet corn or sun-ripe tomatoes, though they can sometimes be expensive. Indiana melons are bigger and sweeter than

the ones in the stores from California They grow it better in the Midwest!! One regular stand is located on Springfield Avenue, west of Mattis, in front of Lil Porgys BBQ (listed later). Source: http://www.doksinet 10 Specialty Shops Please note that, in general, specialty shops, or shops that carry only one or two main items, are more costly than your super stores or regular grocery stores. A lot of times, however, they are the only place you can get certain items, and it is, therefore, worth the extra cost. Some of these shops are listed below International Food Shops The University of Illinois draws students from all over the world. There are a few stores in town that carry international foods and spices, vegetarian foods, health foods, and gourmet items. I haven’t shopped in all these places, but thought I would list them for my international students. Common Ground Food Co-Op www.commongroundcoop 300 S Broadway, Suite 166 Lincoln Square Village, Urbana 352-3347

grocery@commonground.coop Non-profit grocery store that sells local and organic foods. Also vegan, gluten-free, cruelty-free products World Harvest Intl & Gourmet Foods www.worldharvestfoodscom 306 W Springfield Ave, Urbana 328-1655 Over 10K items! Gourmet international foods/Middle Eastern café. Consolidated with Strawberry Fields in 2017. Far East Grocery 105 S Fifth, Champaign 352-7137 Looks very unassuming from the outside, but it is an awesome authentic Asian market. Cash only! Art Mart shopartmart.com 1705 S Prospect, Champaign 344-7979 Really cool store! Gourmet international foods. They have a bakery, deli, and café, plus a large selection of wines. Catering available They also sell apparel, educational toys, home goods, and objects d’art. Strawberry Fields www.strawberry-fieldscom 306 W Springfield Ave, Urbana 328-1655 Natural and organic groceries and health items, bakery and café; catering available. Also has hundreds of bulk items (granola, spices, dry goods).

AM-KO Oriental Foods & Gifts amkogrocery.com 101 E Springfield, Champaign 398-2922 info@amkogrocery.com Asian neighborhood grocery store and gift shop. Annapoorna Stores www.annapoornastorecom 505 S Neil St., Suite 11, Champaign 355-5215 Indian grocery store and video rentals. El Charro Mexican Grocery www.elcharrochampaigncom 55 E Green St, Champaign 337-6647 El Progreso International Market 501N Cunningham Ave, Urbana 607-1533 Authentic Mexican restaurant and grocery store. International grocery store including items from Peru, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Central America. Meats, fruits, bakery items. Butcher Shops Uof I Meat Science Laboratory meatandeggsales.illinoisedu 1503 S Maryland Dr, Urbana 333-3404 Subscribe to “Meat Mail”: meatsalesroom@illinois.edu Old Time Meat and Deli Shoppe www.oldtimemeatanddelicom 2018 S Neil, Champaign 355-0000 store@oldtimemeatanddeli.com One of the best kept secrets in town! Only open Tu/Th afternoons and Fri mornings. Awesome freshly

cut meats and fresh eggs at great prices. Deli sandwiches. Superior meat/fish/seafood Amish raised poultry. Local pork products Great homemade twice baked potatoes! Source: http://www.doksinet 11 Super Discount Stores Super discount stores have an unbelievably wide variety of items (from food to clothing to toys to electronic equipment to automotive supplies to garden supplies to pet supplies to pharmacies to photo processing.the list goes on and on!) And all have fairly reasonable prices on most items. Some are even open 24 hours for your shopping convenience The North Prospect corridor is the mega-shopping area for these stores in Champaign, though Savoy is becoming as popular! These super discount stores are open 24 hours a day – and have grocery stores. Some are now offering to shop for you – you order, arrive a couple hours later, pay, and drive awayand some even deliver (for a fee)! Meijer (One of Cindys favorite stores!) www.meijercom 2401 N Prospect, Champaign 353-4000

2500 S Philo Rd, Urbana 365-5200 I like their Meijer brand items. They are now offering home delivery! Lots of good specials. Join their MPerks for more savings. Walmart Supercenter www.walmartcom 2610 N Prospect, Champaign 352-0700 (6am-12am) 505 S Dunlap Ave (off S Neil), Savoy 355-5845 (24hr) 100 S High Cross Rd, Urbana 344-6148 (24hr) Walmarts are everywhere! The “Great Value” brand is their store brand. Free grocery pickup curbside These super discount stores have grocery stores, but are not open 24 hours: Target Sams Club - Members Only www.targetcom www.samsclubcom 2102 N Prospect, Champaign 355-3325 915 W Marketview Dr, Champaign 355-2223 I love Target! (pronounced as Tar-jay, if you want to sound sophisticated). You must be a member to shop here (only $45/year to join). They sell items in large quantities/bulk Special Discount Stores These are really, really inexpensive places to shop. Most have packaged food items, and some have frozen and/or refrigerated food, too!

Again, most are generic brands, but you will also find name brand items. Big Lots (I love this place!) www.biglotscom 2004 W Springfield, Champaign 355-1844 They sell "seconds" from the larger department stores – items department stores bought too much of or are closing out. You can find some great deals! Its a different store each week, with new bargains coming in every day. Family Dollar www.familydollarcom 1204 N Market, Champaign 355-3797 1110 Philo Rd, Urbana 344-4277 Again, can find some bargains; watch the quality. Dollar General www.dollargeneralcom 2004-B W Springfield, Champaign 351-3013 817 Bloomington Rd, Champaign 355-6726 1506 N Cunningham, Urbana 384-2269 3001 W Bradley Ave, Champaign 689-2317 You have to watch the quality here a little more closely, but can find some bargains. Dollar Tree www.dollartreecom 2009 N Prospect, Champaign 351-3143 235 S Mattis, Champaign 355-1559 1303 E Colorado Ave, Urbana 344-2576 1333 Savoy Plaza Center, Suite 3, Savoy

352-4390 Farm Stores These stores do not have grocery stores – though they do offer some packaged food items – like bulk packaged candy and nuts. They offer everything from candy to car parts (they even have baby chicks, ducks, and turkeys in the spring)! Farm and Fleet www.farmandfleetcom 2701 N Cunningham, Urbana 367-1354 Rural King - “America’s Farm & Home Store” www.ruralkingcom 913W Marketview Dr, Champaign 403-1011 A Midwestern shopping experience! Free popcorn to munch while you shop! Source: http://www.doksinet 12 Pharmacies (Drug Stores) Traditionally, pharmacies were for prescription medication services, along with over-the-counter drugs such as aspirin, cold remedies, allergy medication, antiseptics, and personal care items (such as hair care products, deodorant, soap, perfumes, makeup). Nowadays they carry liquor, stationery, back-to-school supplies, greeting cards, holiday decorations, quick to prepare foods and snack items, and groceries like eggs,

milk, and bread! Some have photo labs in the stores and are about the only places left where you can have photos developed. Many offer immunizations for flu and pneumonia during the fall When purchasing over-the-counter medications and personal care items, you can buy the commercial brands, which tend to be more expensive, or you can get generic or store brands at significantly lower prices. Generic brands are almost identical to the brand names, at least for medications. Patents are granted for new medications, and when the patents run out, other companies are allowed to produce the medications – most times for much less than the original drug. Note: most of the grocery and super stores have similar items and services as drug stores and are somewhat cheaper. Drug stores tend to be more conveniently located in town (like on busy intersections), and therefore, easier to drop by and pick up something quickly. You are paying a little more for convenience Here are the two major chains in

town that have many locations. Additionally, there are also stores in the some of the local Carle and Christie Clinic health care facilities. CVS Drug Stores www.cvscom 107 W Green (at Neil), Champaign 355-8123 (open 24 hours) 2102 N Prospect Ave, Champaign 355-3345 243 S Mattis (at Country Fair shops), Champaign 352-9665 1818 S Philo Rd, Urbana 337-1192 1111 N Dunlap St, Savoy 351-2123 Walgreen Drug Stores www.walgreenscom 407 E Green, Champaign (Campus) 344-0121 1509 S Neil (at Kirby), Champaign 351-1516 841 Bloomington Rd (at Prospect), Champaign 356-8237 1713 W Springfield (at Mattis), Champaign 356-2529 (Open 24 hrs) 2402 Village Green Pl (at Duncan), Champaign 398-2764 302 E University (at Cunningham), Urbana 344-7201 1801 S Philo Rd, Urbana 367-5486 Also located in many Carle and Christie Clinic locations Source: http://www.doksinet 13 Shopping Malls Having already addressed the cheaper places to shop, I would be remiss not mentioning some of the more popular, trendy, and

somewhat more expensive places to shop. There are several shopping malls are located in Champaign-Urbana, and all are on bus routes. Shopping malls are usually enclosed areas that house many separate businesses within their walls; mostly major department stores, trendy clothing and shoe stores, along with specialty stores, and places to eat. Many of the stores are not inexpensive, but have good sales. We also have “strip malls” – open-air shopping malls with stores, generally arranged in a row. I discovered that there are far too many too mention here, with more opening up daily! Market Place Mall is the largest mall in town. It has clothing and shoe stores, jewelry stores, gift shops, specialty stores, music and bookstores, and a food court. There are several major department stores located in Market Place including Macy’s, JC Penney, Dick’s/Field and Stream. You can also find other big name stores like: Aéropostale, Bath & Body Works, Footlocker, Gap, Old Navy,

Pandora, Pink/Victoria’s Secret, Spencer’s Gifts, and Yankee Candle. Market Place Mall www.marketplacemallcom 2000 N Neil Street (north of I-74), Champaign 356-2700 There are some smaller malls in town, but they are dying out. Lincoln Square was one of the first enclosed malls in the US and was THE place to shop when I was growing up here! These malls no longer have big name department stores. Country Fair, Sunnycrest, and Market View are not enclosed, but have a few stores and places to eat/drink. Lincoln Square Village www.lincolnsquareurbanacom 300 S Broadway Ave, Urbana 367-4092 Directly east on Green St from campus Market View Shopping Center South of Market Place Mall, Champaign 356-2700 Country Fair Shopping Center Corner of Mattis and Springfield, Champaign 356-3717 Sunnycrest Mall 1717 S Philo Road, Urbana 384-5787 Strip Malls Strip malls are springing up all over and are very popular – though again, you are generally paying a little more for convenience. Theses malls

usually house a specialized shop or two, maybe a restaurant, and then smaller shops like a dry cleaner, nail shop, tanning salon, cell phone company, or video gambling cafe. Here are just a few: Johnstown Center E John Street, Champaign (campus) University Centre 30-40 block of E Green, Champaign Fat Sandwich Company, Insomnia Cookies, The Beach Sun and Spa, Asian Taste Katsinis Plaza NE corner of Green and Neil, Champaign Sportsworld, DP Dough, Fasprint, Jimmy John’s Jet’s Pizza, Hollywood Liquor, Wing Stop, Cost Cutters Neil Street Commons 500 S Neil (1 block N of Green), Champaign Green Street Galleria SE corner of Green and Neil, Champaign Golden Harbor, Annapoorna Foods, Fresh Intl Market, Nutrition at Work, School Station, Revolt Tattoo Studio Stadium Plaza 1400 S Neil Street (1 block S of Green), Champaign Illini Cellular, Allstate Insurance, Impact, Metro PCS Gateway Shoppes at Five Points 202 E University Ave, Urbana Subway, Espresso Royale, Cactus Grill

Schnuck’s Urbana Crossing 114 N Vine Street, Urbana Rainbow Garden, Po’ Boys, Great Clips, Tricoci University of Beauty, UI Community Credit Union, Wireless Mike’s, Panda Express, Panchero’s Schnuck’s, Papa Murphy’s Pizza, China Garden, Xinh Xinh Café, Starbuck’s Source: http://www.doksinet 14 Old Farm Shops (Upscale Shopping) www.oldfarmshopscom Kirby and Mattis Avenues, Champaign Panera Bread, Talbots, Checkered Moon, Jos A Bank, Glenn Poor’s, Subway, Papa Murphy’s Pizza, Super Wok, TCBY, UPS Store Windsor Galleria (Upscale Dining) 1100 Windsor Road (near Galen), Champaign Village at the Crossing (Upscale Dining) Duncan and Windsor, Champaign Jupiter’s at the Crossing, Billy Barooz, Espresso Royale, Rod Sickler Salon & Spa, Blossom Basket, Subway, Pie’s the Limit Pizza, Amaravti Indian Royal Cuisine, El Patio Mexican Restaurant Shoppes of Knollwood (Upscale Dining) 2200 block of S Neil Street, Champaign Sun Singer Wines & Spirits, The New Sweet

Indulgence Bakery, Starcrest Cleaners, Green Jade, Pandamonium Donuts Round Barn Center Mattis and Springfield Avenues, Champaign Biaggi’s, Great Harvest Bread Company, Le Peep, Illini Open MRI, Direct Travel (Suzi Davis) Round Barn Banquet Centre, Original Pancake House, Fed Ex, Fitness Center, IL Secretary of State Drivers Facility, Jimmy John’s, Jet’s Pizza Carriage Center S Neil Street, Champaign (at Devonshire) Buffalo Wild Wings, Marble Slab Creamery, Friar Tuck’s (liquors), Savoy 16, Curves for Women, Schnuck’s, Smokey BBQ, Dollar Tree, Goodwill Store Hillcrest Center 2000 block of S Neil Street, Champaign Harvest Market, Moe’s Southwest Grill, Panchero’s, Starbuck’s, Wendy’s, Haymakers, Ace Hardware The Pines S Philo Road, Urbana (Philo and Windsor) Old Time Meat & Deli, B Won Korean, Green Onion, Andy’s Barber Shop Monical’s, Subway, Casa del Mar, Red Bicycle Ice Cream Savoy Plaza South Neil Street & Curtis Road, Savoy Source:

http://www.doksinet 15 Clothing and Accessories Probably the least expensive places to purchase new clothes/accessories are from the “super discount stores” like Meijer, Target, and WalMart. They have nice selections at good prices and I have purchased a lot of my clothes from these places over the years. For used clothes, check out local garage sales for the absolute lowest prices Here are some other places for great deals: Cindy’s Favorite Department Store You pay a little more for items not on sale, but they have sales almost every week! I have purchased some of my favorite clothes/housewares from here. They also have a Rewards program and Kohl’s cash, which keeps you coming back for more Kohl’s www.kohlscom 109 Convenience Center Rd, Champaign 352-0431 “Budget” Clothing Stores There are many budget clothing stores around town. You may have to go through racks of clothing to find just what you want, but it can be worth it! TJ Maxx Gordman’s tjmaxx.tjxcom

www.gordmanscom 21 E Marketview, Champaign 352-3435 1901 N Market, Champaign 403-1434 Name brand items for 1/2 price or less! They buy "seconds" from the department stores. Brand name for 1/2 price or less! Also is another store that buys "seconds" from the department stores. Used Clothing Stores Items at these places are donated by the community, then sold for ridiculously inexpensive prices to help support their charitable endeavors. Have accessories, too! They also sell inexpensive furniture, decor and household items Goodwill llgi.org 912 W Anthony, Champaign 280-1870 1201 Savoy Plaza Lane, Savoy 503-6076 Connections courageconnection.org/our-store/about-our-store 120 Lincoln Square Mall 384-2158 Only open T-F 10:00am-5:00pm; Sat 8:30am-2:00pm store@courageconnection.org Salvation Army Family Thrift Store satruck.org sachampaign.org 2212 N Market, Champaign 373-7825 Retro Clothing Dandelion Retro, Vintage & Used Clothing www.dandelionretrocom 100 N

Chestnut, Champaign 954-0555 (in the old train station) Carrie’s Antiques and Jewelry 723 S Neil St, Champaign 352-3231 Fabulous to Funky! Vintage clothing and jewelry. Consignment Clothing Stores Consignment stores only take “slightly used” clothes, many of which are designer labels, and offer them at lower prices. Karen’s Kloset (Women’s clothing) www.karensklosetcom 231 S Mattis (Country Fair), Champaign 355-9395 Plato’s Closet www.platosclosetchampaigncom 29 E Marketview Dr 366-8200 Yours, Mine & Ours Kid Shop(Children’s clothing) 1824 Glen Park, Champaign (next to Valucheck) 356-0880 Source: http://www.doksinet 16 Furniture and Home Decor There are a lot of new and used furniture stores in town. Below are some places you can get decent used furniture for a fraction of the cost of new. You can also check the local papers (Thrifty Nickel, News-Gazette), along with garage sales, auctions, antique stores, and on-line sources such as Craigslist and Facebook

local garage sale sites. Used Furniture Stores Habitat for Humanity ReStore cuhabitat.org/re-store 119 E University, Champaign 359-0507, 819-5118 info@cuhabitat.org Goodwill llgi.org 912 W Anthony, Champaign 280-1870 Crossroads Corner Consignment 723 S Neil, Suite 103, Champaign 954-1100 Connections courageconnection.org/our-store/about-our-store 120 Lincoln Square Mall 384-2158 store@courageconnection.org Salvation Army Family Thrift Store satruck.org 2212 N Market, Champaign 309-373-7825 New Furniture Stores For inexpensive new furniture, I suggest checking out the “super discount” and “special discount” stores – like Meijer, Target, Big Lots, Walmart, etc. – where you can find bookshelves, futons, chairs, etc Below are some other places in town that are relatively inexpensive. Beds Bender’s Mattress Factory & Sleep Shop www.bendermattresscom 1206 N Cunningham Ave, Urbana 328-1700 info@bendermattress.com My family and I buy all our mattresses here! Custom made

mattresses, family-owned business. Illini Mattress www.illinimattresscom/indexhtml 514 S Country Fair Dr, Champaign 359-0156 info@illinimattress.com Mattress Boss themattressboss.com 1102 N Prospect Ave, Champaign 607-2072 Etcetera Furniture Row www.furniturerowcom 2711 N Prospect Ave, Champaign Denver Mattress 351-5512 Sofa Mart 351-5157 Oak Express/Bedroom Expressions 351-5144 This Is It Furniture thisisitfurniturediscount.com 245 S Mattis, Country Fair Shopping Ctr, Champaign 351-5102 Furniture Warehouse www.cufurniturewarehousecom 126 E University, Champaign 352-0080 cufurniturewarehouse@yahoo.com High-End Furniture Here are a couple high end custom-designed furniture places where my family and I have shopped for years. Carter’s Furniture cartersfurniture.com 410 N Vine, Urbana 367-4066 I purchased my first-ever custom designed upholstered living room furniture here and love it! Watch for their sales and you can get some great deals. Kelsey Furniture Company

www.kelseyfurniturecom/indexhtml 215 N Main St, Tuscola 253-2142 kelseyfurniture@yahoo.com Twenty minutes south of Champaign. I bought a leather recliner couch from them in 2000 that I am still using! Source: http://www.doksinet 17 Home Decor For those little extras that help make a house a home, here are some places to go for wonderful décor items. Of course, you can also find items at the super and special discount stores, but for higher end items at decent prices, these are good places to shop. New Items Prairie Gardens www.prairiegardenscom 3000 W Springfield, Champaign 356-6532 info@prairiegardens.com International Galleries internationalgalleriesurbana.com 118 Lincoln Square Village, Urbana 328-2254 InternationalGalleriesUrbana@Gmail.com In addition to collector’s items, they offer framing services, do artificial floral arrangements, sell frames, furniture, plants and flowers! Art Mart shopartmart.com 1705 S Prospect, Champaign 344-7979 Art posters, pottery, jewelry,

on-site custom framing services, elegant boxes, wind chimes, cards, animal jewelry, figurines, incense, and objects dart. Tuesday Morning www.tuesdaymorningcom 45 E Marketview Dr, Champaign 398-3753 International foods/coffee, chocolates, kitchen gadgets, cards, party lights, objects dart, educational toys, etc. Pier 1 Imports www.pier1com 2001 N Prospect, Champaign 355-9568 Another store that has department store items at 50%80% off regular prices. Hobby Lobby www.hobbylobbycom 2102 N Neil, Champaign 355-2924 Large store filled with items from all over the world. Can get some bargains on sale. Big Lots www.biglotscom 2004 W Springfield, Champaign 355-1844 Huge store with hobby/craft/art supplies and projects, furniture, etc. Closed Sundays Michael’s www.michaelscom 2109 N Prospect, Champaign 378-8716 When I was the wife of a grad student, I almost completely decorated our apartment with items from Pic ‘N Save, as they were called in LA back in the day.  TJ Maxx

tjmaxx.tjxcom 21 E Marketview, Champaign 352-3435 Hobby/craft store with do-it-yourself home décor projects. They not only sell clothing, but great décor items and housewares, too, at great prices. Like TJ Maxx, they sell décor items for less than department stores. Gordman’s www.gordmanscom 1901 N Market, Champaign 403-1434 Used/Antique I personally like hunting antique shops and the resale stores (see Used Furniture), as I like items from by-gone eras. I am not listing all the antique shops here as there are too many local shops, both in town and around the area. You can also find great items at garage sales for very reasonable prices. Antiques and More Booth www.antiquesandmore606com 606 S Staley Road, Champaign 351-3488 Second Hand Rose 901 E Main St, Urbana 722-4073 A bit more pricy, but some cool stuff! Proceeds benefit Champaign County Humane Society! Crossroads Corner Consignment 723 S Neil, Suite 103, Champaign 954-1100 Source: http://www.doksinet 18 Home

Improvement Stores These stores are places where you can buy paint, tools, lumber, nails, lawn care products, etc. for your DIY projects! Menards www.menardscom 620 Town Center Blvd, Champaign 359-6100 Lowes www.lowescom 1904 N Prospect, Champaign 373-7300 Huge store with lumber yard, garden shop, etc. - prices competitive with Lowes. I primarily shop here for the best prices. Home Depot www.homedepotcom 820 N Bloomington Rd, Champaign 356-2629 Huge store with lumber yard & garden shop and very good prices/selections. Have a little bigger selection than Menard’s, but can cost a bit more. Farm and Fleet www.farmandfleetco 2701 N Cunningham, Urbana 367-1354 Huge store with lumber yard, nursery, etc. Only place you can get Behr paint – which is the best! Champaign Do It Best Hardware cudib.incomsupplycom 107 W Springfield, Champaign 356-6454 Everything from overalls to paint to car batteries. Smaller, limited shop; a little more expensive. But closer to campustown than the

Prospect corridor. Have an extensive outdoor garden shop each spring/summer. Electronic Equipment For electronic items – stereo equipment, TV’s, CD and DVD players – can be found most inexpensively at the “super discount stores”. If you are looking for higher end equipment, here are some places specializing in electronics Best Buy www.bestbuycom 2117 N Prospect Ave, Champaign 352-8883 Wide selection of name brands at good prices. Also do installations. Good Vibes www.gvibescom 1501 N Prospect, Champaign 351-0909 info@gvibes.com Very knowledgeable staff and excellent high end equipment – much more expensive. Custom installs in home and vehicles. Repairs Glenn Poor’s Audio-Video glennpoors.com 1745 W Kirby, Champaign 356-5456 glennpoors@gmail.com Excellent high end equipment. They also sell used and demo equipment. Electronic Repairs Glenn Poor’s TV Service www.glennpoorstvservicecom 609 W Springfield, Urbana 367-9686 Radio Doctors Sales and Service

www.radio-doctorscom 104 E White St, Champaign 352-2641, 352-3744 RadDoc@SbcGlobal.net Can repair just about any home electronic equipment (not computers). My family bought our first TV from them many decades ago. Home electronic repairs. Small shop, electronics everywhere! It takes time and it is not inexpensive. Occasionally have used equipment for sale. Source: http://www.doksinet 19 Computer Repairs Illini Union Tech Zone Repair union.illinoisedu/shop/illini-union-tech-zone Main Level, Southwest Wing, Illini Union 244-7938 iutechzone@illinois.edu Simplified Computers www.simplifiedcomputerscom 901 S Neil St, Champaign 352-5000 sales@simplifiedcomputers.com They helped my mom, who is completely tech illiterate. Geek Squad E P Computer www.geeksquadcom 1606 S Neil St, Champaign 351-7888 2117 N Prospect Ave, Champaign 352-8883 Chat w/ tech: www.bestbuycom/services/remotesupport Family-run business Fairly quick repairs, reasonable prices. Parts, upgrades, surveillance systems,

iPod Located in Best Buy. Very helpful, friendly, and patient repair Call for Tech support 1st, may be all you need. For a Little Bit of Everything YMCA Dump and Run Basically a huge garage sale for charity, the YMCA Dump and Run is the place to go for inexpensive items. It is only held for 2 days at the end of August – usually the first weekend after U of I classes start – at the UI Stock Pavilion, 1402 W Pennsylvania, Urbana. Visit wwwuniversityymcaorg/dump and run for more information Champaign County Humane Society GIANT Garage Sale Also held once a year – Memorial Day weekend at the end of May – this is their big fund raiser for the animals. They have wonderful donated items at incredibly low prices. The sale lasts 3 days: Friday-Sunday Come early, come often as there is never enough room to put everything out at once, so it becomes a new sale every day! www.cuhumaneorg/NewsEvents/GIANTGarageSaleaspx NOTE: some leftovers from the Giant Sale are now being sold at Antiques

and More on Staley (see Used/antique above) Source: http://www.doksinet 20 Bookstores and Libraries Libraries If you want to curl up with a good book, probably the cheapest thing to do is to go to the local library and borrow a book for free! The U of I boasts one of the largest public university libraries in the nation! All registered students have access to the University library services. U of I Main Library www.libraryillinoisedu 1408 W Gregory, Urbana 333-2291 There are also 2 public libraries in C-U. Library cards are free to residents of the city where the library is located You can also purchase, for a nominal fee, a card that gives you access to the other citys library. You can borrow CDs, videotapes, books. Tax forms are available Jan-April, as well as tax assistance There are also seminars, story-telling events, etc Champaign Public Library www.champaignorg 200 W Green, Champaign 403-2000 Urbana Free Library urbanafreelibrary.org 210 W Green, Urbana 367-4057 Bookstores

There is only one bookstore on campus and it carries U of I textbooks, trademark items, memorabilia, t-shirts, calendars, class supplies Illini Union Bookstore the "Official" U of I bookstore www.bookstoreillinoisedu 809 S Wright Street, Champaign 333-2050 iubstore@illinois.edu New Age and Comic books Insight Metaphysical Bookstore (cool place!) 1111 W Kirby Ave, Champaign 352-5683 dreamtime@insight-books.com They sell new age books, tapes, incense, tarot cards, gemstones, etc. G-Mart www.g-martcom 205 N Market St, Champaign 356-7733 Customer service: 773-531-4847 duck@g-mart.com Comic books galore! Used Books Used bookstores are very popular. You can get older best sellers and out-of-print titles at reasonable prices If they don’t have the book you want, you can even place an order and they will try to find it for you. Jane Addams Book Shop www.janeaddamsbookscom 208 N Neil, Champaign 356-2555 info@janeaddamsbooks.com Priceless Books

www.abebookscom/priceless-books-urbana-ilusa/22278/sf 112 W Main Street, Urbana 344-4037; 689-2925 Big Corporate Chain Bookstore Barnes and Noble www.barnesandnoblecom 65 E Marketview Dr, Champaign 355-2045 Café, international newspapers, magazines. Source: http://www.doksinet 21 Miscellaneous Lookin’ Good - Beauty Salons and Spas Over the years, many students have asked where to go for an inexpensive hair cut in town. There are literally dozens of beauty salons in town where you can get a haircut or style. Hair Care While I was the wife of a struggling grad student, I went to Supercuts for inexpensive haircuts and was always happy with the results. Here are some other suggestions: Cost Cutters Family Hair Care www.signaturestylecom/brands/cost-cutters 10 E Green (at Neil), Champaign 398-6098 2018 N Prospect, Champaign 355-8443 Great Clips (on-line check-in!) www.greatclipscom 202 E University Ave, Urbana 328-3011 2023 S Neil St, Champaign 954-1970 Borics Hair Care

www.signaturestylecom/brands/boricshtml 23 Marketview Dr, Champaign 351-3213 114 N Vine St, Ste P, Urbana 367-1426 1331 Savoy Plaza Lane, Savoy 359-7332 Hair Cuttery www.haircutterycom 24 E Green (E of Neil), Champaign 398-9127 Supercuts (on-line check-in!) www.supercutscom 918 W Town Center Blvd, Champaign 356-6500 1807 W Kirby Ave, Champaign 352-9106 Mastercuts www.mastercutscom 2000 N Neil, Market Place Mall, Champaign 356-1700 Beauty Schools You can also try your luck at a local beauty school, where students perform services under direct supervision of licensed cosmetology instructors. It is probably the least expensive way to go I had pretty good luck in most of my experiences, both growing up and in my early college years, except for one time in Los Angeles the week before my wedding.  Tricoci University of Beauty Culture www.tricociuniversityedu 202 E University Ave, Urbana 344-7550 Full Salon Treatments/Spa If you are looking to truly pamper yourself, go for a full service

salon! They cost more, but are worth it. I am including my personal recommendations here. I would suggest asking friends for references, too Timothy John Salon & Spa www.tjsalonandspacom 404 W Green (east of campus), Urbana 344-4720 Timothyjohnsalon@gmail.com Wingard Salon e62.6e3myftpuploadcom 805 S Neil St (west of campus, a few blocks south of Green), Champaign 403-1153 A full service salon. They do cuts, color, facials, manipedis, massage, etc For a great cut/color, ask for my friend Margaret Fix (tell her I sent you)! They do cuts, styles, color, perms, mani and pedicures. Source: http://www.doksinet 22 Calling All Pet Lovers As an animal lover, I thought Id put in a section in for our four-footed friends! Pet Emergencies UI Veterinary Medicine 333-5300 Small Animal Clinic SportsVet Animal Medical Center 355-1442 National (ASPCA) Animal 888-426-4435 Poison Center vetmed.illinoisedu/vth/ sportsvetamc.com/urgentcare 1008 W Hazelwood, Urbana 1105 N Dunlap, Savoy

www.aspcaproorg/animalhealth/toxicology-poison-control Lost Pets Champaign County Animal Control looking for lost pets/report strays City of Urbana Animal Control 333-8911 24-hour 384-3798 M-Sat, 8-5 333-8911 24-hour to report animals roaming loose/dogs barking to report dead animals in road City of Champaign Animal Control report strays Officer on duty M-F 8-4:30 384-2320 ext 364 333-8911 24-hour Champaign Public Works for dead animals in road 403-4700 www.cochampaignilus/anim alcontrol/animalcontrol.php animalcontrol@co.champaignilus www.urbanaillinoisus/animal -control champaignil.gov/publicworks/report-a-problem publicworks@champaignil.gov Looking to Adopt a Pet? If you are looking for a lifelong companion animal, the best thing to do is to ADOPT a pet from a local rescue groupthey are the best pets ever! Aren’t looking for a pet, but would love to get involved in helping homeless animals while you are in town? These places are always looking for volunteers. You get

to help to bring a little joy into their lives, and they into yours! These worthwhile organizations host many fundraising events throughout the year to help the animals that come through their facilities. For other local shelters, check on-line at Petfinder wwwpetfindercom Champaign County Humane Society (CCHS) 1911 E Main, Urbana CatSnap A no-kill trap/spay, neuter/release and adoption program. 344-PAWS -7297 Hospice Hearts Finds loving homes for pets of elderly patients when they can no longer care for them. 708-921-9346 689-0770; 806-4090 text or leave message www.cuhumaneorg adoption@cuhumane.org Adoptees can be viewed at the shelter or online. www.catsnaporg catsnap@catsnap.org Adoptees can be viewed at Pet Supplies Plus, PetSmart, or online. hospicehearts@yahoo.com www.hospiceheartsorg Adoptees can be viewed online. Some local pet stores that support local rescue/adoption groups by allowing pets to be viewed at their facilities: 351-9244 PetSmart 2017 N Prospect Ave,

Champaign 366-9240 Pets Supplies Plus 2821 W Kirby Ave, Champaign www.petsmartcom www.petsuppliespluscom Sailfin Pet Shop (720 S Neil, Champaign, 352-1121, www.sailfincom, sales@sailfincom) is also a great pet store, especially for fish, small mammals, and exotics. They do not sell cats or dogs They also have pond supplies and offer custom aquarium installations. Source: http://www.doksinet 23 Entertainment When youre not studying or conducting experiments, you may want to enjoy some of the recreational activities available in Central Illinois. I don’t like to spend a lot of money on entertainment Events such as street dances, hiking, and stargazing are all free of charge. Admission charges usually apply at concerts, movies, museums, etc, but if you are a student, ALWAYS ASK ABOUT STUDENT DISCOUNTS, as most places will give discounts to students with school ID cards! C-U is located almost equal distance from Chicago, IL, Indianapolis, IN, and St. Louis, MO if you are looking

for a more metropolitan scene, but there are still a lot of things this immediate area has to offer. Check out the Visit Champaign County site for up-to-the-minute info on what’s happening all year round: www.visitchampaigncountyorg On Campus  The State Farm Center – aka Assembly Hall – is located at the south end of campus, on Florida Ave. It holds a wide variety of events from U of I basketball games, to Broadway productions, to rock, country, Christian, and pop concerts. It also plays host to marching band performances, conventions, and craft shows. Ticket office: 866-455-4641  Go Fighting Illini! The U of I has a multitude of sporting events. There is mens football, men’s and women’s basketball, as well as stellar men’s baseball, tennis, golf and gymnastics teams, and womens volleyball, softball, and gymnastics teams! We have track, soccer, wrestling, etc. There are also wheelchair sports, like basketball and track (Superstar marathoners, Tatyana McFadden and

Jean Driscoll, are from the U of I). Tickets are available through the State Farm Center ticket office (866-ILLINI-1) or on-line at www.fightingillinicom  Krannert Center for the Performing Arts has a world-renown reputation for its symphony concerts, opera, theater productions, dance programs, and international performances. Indoor Recreation When the weather outside is not cooperative, here are some fun things to do inside! Theatre-Live Theater is alive and well in Central Illinois. There are some wonderful theater groups in town, along with groups at Parkland Community College and the U of I. Most of the local high schools put on performances at least once a year See the local newspapers for performance announcements. Virginia Theater www.thevirginiaorg 203 W Park, Champaign 356-9063 virginia@champaignparks.com Station Theatre www.stationtheatrecom 223 N Broadway, Urbana 384-4000 Performing arts center showcasing plays, comedy, and national musical groups. Intimate place to

see bands like Styx, Foreigner, REO, Gordon Lightfoot, Chicago - I was front row for almost all of them! Champaign-Urbana Theater Co cutc.org 117 E University Ave, Champaign 352-4085 manager@cutc.org The Celebration Company performs in a quaint historic train station. The number of talented performers in this area is phenomenal! And they are always looking for new talent Parkland College Theatre theatre.parklandedu 2400 W Bradley, Champaign 351-2528 theatre@parkland.edu This volunteer company performs several times a year. Their main stage is the Parkland College Theatre. Zoo Improv www.zooimprovcom SoDo Theater, 114 S Walnut, Champaign contact@zooimprov.com Parkland and UI students, as well as community members participate in their performances. C-U Comedy www.cucomedycom 320 N Neil 202-6023 Held in venues around town and private events jesse@cucomedy.com Local improv group with shows for all audiences family to adult rated! Also available for private events. Host comedy shows at

places like Clark Bar, Memphis on Main and Soma, as well as private events. Source: http://www.doksinet 24 Theatre-Movie Movie theaters are located throughout the area. There are also reduced price movies shown on campus throughout the school year (watch for shows and times in the campus newspaper, the Daily Illini). Savoy 16 + IMAX (Goodrich Quality Theater) www.gqticom 232 Burwash, Savoy 355-9718; 355-3456 movie line AMC Champaign 13 www.amctheatrescom 910 Meijer Dr, Champaign 383-0002 Multiplex theater with 16 screens and a new IMAX theatre (some IMAX shows are in 3D). The Art Theater Co-op thearttheater.org 126 W Church, downtown Champaign 355-0068 info@thearttheater.org Multiplex theater with 13 screens; one 80-foot “Big D” screen. They also have a bar Virginia Theater thevirginia.org 203 W Park, Champaign 356-9063 virginia@champaignparks.com Foreign films and films by independent film-makers, not Classic film series and home of the famous annual Roger shown anywhere

else in town. Ebert Overlooked Film Festival! Movie Rentals/Sales If you dont feel like fighting the crowds to see a movie, and you’ve already seen every movie on your 100+ cable channels’ On Demand feature and in your NetFlix or Hulu queue, there are only a few places left where you can go to rent DVDs of your favorite movies and TV shows. The local libraries also have some movies you can borrow Family Video www.familyvideocom 1101 N Mattis, Champaign 352-2172 1901 S Philo Rd, Urbana 344-0507 DVD/game rental. Requires free membership – each store operated separately, so not transferable. They also sell used DVDs/ games. Lees Oriental Foods for Chinese, Japanese, & Korean films 303 Cedar, Champaign 351-8949 Located across from Jarling’s Custard Cup on Kirby Avenue. Disc Replay discreplay.com/champaignphp 2012 N Prospect Ave, Champaign 607-0890 discreplaychampaignil@yahoo.com Buy, sell and/or trade gently used DVD movies, video games and systems, electronics, and CDs.

RedBox www.redboxcom Convenient self-service kiosks located either outside or just inside the entrance of some of these local establishments: CVS, County Market, Ruler Foods, Schnuck’s, Walgreens, Champaign Meier and Walmart stores, and Thornton’s gas station on Mattis in Champaign. Check the website for exact locations Annapoorna Store for Indian films www.annapoornastorecom 505 S Neil St, Ste 11, Champaign 355-5215 In the Neil Street Commons mall, near Neil and Green Source: http://www.doksinet 25 Museums For a list of interesting places to see in Illinois visit: www.enjoyillinoiscom Here are a few local sites: Spurlock Museum of World Cultures www.spurlockillinoisedu 600 S Gregory St, Urbana (campus) 333-2360 spurlock-museum@illinois.edu Krannert Art Museum and Kinkhead Pavilion www.kamuiucedu 500 E Peabody (at 6th), Campus 333-1861 244-0516 kam@illinois.edu The museum was built in 2002 and contains over 45,000 world history and cultural artifacts for public viewing. I used

to visit it in the late 70’s when it was the World Heritage Museum in Lincoln Hall. Orpheum Childrens Science Museum orpheumkids.net 346 N Neil, downtown Champaign 352-5895 info@orpheumkids.com Not to be confused with Krannert Center! Hosts various exhibits of famous artists (like Toulouse-Lautrec, and more recently, William Wegman), as well as U of I faculty/student art. Giertz Gallery at Parkland College artgallery.parklandedu 2400 W Bradley, X Wing, Champaign 351-2485 giertzgallery@parkland.edu Interactive exhibits for children. Museum of the Grand Prairie www.museumofthegrandprairieorg Lake of the Woods 950 N Lombard, Mahomet 586-2612 Various exhibits and student art shows. Homer Lake Interpretive Center Exit 172 off I-74. Exhibits of pioneer life in the heartland. Monticello Railway Museum www.mrymorg 992 Iron Horse Pl, Monticello 762-9011 info@mrym.org Exit 197 off I-74 thru Ogden. Interactive exhibits, live animals, wildlife viewing. Illinois Historic Preservation Agency

Exit 166 off I-72. Old trains, cars, train rides Various special events including a “Polar Express” ride in November and December. Unfortunately, the “Ghost Train” ride has been suspended indefinitely. The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum & Library www.illinoisgov/alplm/Pages/defaultaspx 212 N 6th Street, Springfield 558-8844 Visit: www2.illinoisgov/dnrhistoric/Pages/defaultaspx I-72 to West Clear Lake Avenue Exit. Reported to be one of the largest collections dedicated to the US’s favorite President. Exhibit of costumes/props from the movie “Lincoln”. 8 miles south of Charleston (Exit 190A off I-57, to Lincoln Hwy), the reconstructed log home of Lincoln’s father and stepmother. 86-acre site, living history farms – portraying life in the 1840s. www.ccfpdorg/Preserves/Attractions/InterpretiveCenterhtml Homer Lake Forest Preserve 2573 S Homer Lake Rd, Homer 896-2455 This site lists other historic museums throughout the State plus on-line collections. (will

ask for password, hit cancel to get into site) Lincoln Log Cabin and Moore Home Historic Sites www.lincolnlogcabinorg 402 S Lincoln Highway, Lerna 345-1845 hpa.lincolnlog@illinoisgov Source: http://www.doksinet 26 Arts & Crafts/Scrapbooking/Fabrics/Party Supplies I love arts and crafts projects, so Ive included some good places to go for these items as well. If you are interested in creating your own cards/scrapbooks, please ask me as I know several Stampin’ Up demonstrators (and have a rather large collection of my own stamps and supplies). And, in case you are invited to any costume parties, or want to have one of your own, I’ve thrown in some party and costume shops here, too. Hobby Lobby www.hobbylobbycom 2102 N Neil, Champaign 355-2924 Huge store with hobby/craft/art supplies and projects, furniture, etc. Classes offered Prairie Gardens www.prairiegardenscom 3000 W Springfield, Champaign 356-6532 info@prairiegardens.com Michaels Arts and Crafts www.michaelscom 2109 N

Prospect Ave, Champaign 378-8716 Arts and crafts supplies, stamping and scrapbooking supplies. Art Coop, Inc. www.facebookcom/artcoop 150 Lincoln Square Village, Urbana 352-4562 Huge store with hobby/craft/art supplies. Classes offered. Jo-Ann Fabrics www.joanncom 722 Town Center Road, Champaign 355-5040 Art supplies, paints, photographic supplies, workshops, lectures, gallery, etc. Factory Card and Party Outlet www.partycitycom 2019 N Prospect, Champaign 355-6837 Fabrics, patterns, arts/crafts supplies, sewing supplies, sewing machines, ribbon, beads, lace. Classes offered Dallas & Co. www.dallasandcocom 101 E University Ave, Champaign 351-5974 dallas@dallasandco.com Party supplies, costumes, balloons, etc. Party supplies, costumes, costume rentals, magic kits, balloons, gag gifts, holiday decorations, supplies, etc. Gaming My ex-husband was really big into fantasy role playing games and was one of the first people to ever play Dungeons and Dragons back in the day. I never

played, but really enjoyed listening to he and our friends play - it was our entertainment If you are a gamer, here are a couple places for you. Titan Games (near campus) www.titangamescucom 723 S Neil St, Champaign 607-2317 titangamescu@gmail.com Dr. G’s BrainWorks drgsbrainworks.com 2000 N Neil, Market Place Mall 355-0093 phyllis@drgsbrainworks.com Role playing, board and card game nights. Gopher Mafia Games www.gophermafiacom 114 Lincoln Square, Urbana 954-0029 Store@GopherMafia.com Family Game Days and Chess Cafés. A home for wayward gamers Source: http://www.doksinet 27 Escape Rooms Lab Escape labescape.org 201 Lincoln Square Mall, Urbana 815-683-8193 LabEscape@illinois.edu Brainstorm Escapes brainstormescapes.com 61 E University, Champaign 693-7678 info@brainstormescapes.com Created by a UI Physics professor! C-U Adventures in Space & Time cuadventures.com 123 W Main, #104, Urbana 898-7158 info@cuadventures.com The Conspiratory. Here, it’s all a conspiracy

Dance/Live Music Venues Live music/dancing venues are abundant in the area. Many campus bars and the Illini Union also host bands, just watch the Daily Illini for information. Some campus bars have dance floors with DJs during the week During the summer months, the local park districts hold street dances in the downtown areas and in the parks. Check the local papers for times DJ/Dancing Chester Street Dance Club (downtown Champaign) CLOSED FOR RENOVATIONS! www.chesterstreetbarcom 63-65 E Chester St, Champaign 356-5607 DJ music. LGBTQ friendly – it is the unofficial “gay” bar in C-U Weekly drag shows and disco party nights. Industrial music Mondays Nominal cover charge Lessons/Dancing Regent Ballroom www.regentballroomcom 1406 Regency Drive, Savoy 359-5333 office@regentballroom.com Ballroom and other dance styles. Also offer dance lessons Dance Organizations There are many dance organizations on campus. Here are just a few that I am aware of Illini Swing Society* www.cu-swingorg

Focuses on various swing style dances such as Lindy Hop and Charleston. Lessons and workshops offered Hold free weekly dances during the school year and special dances once a month. Urbana Country Dancers* www.urbana-contraorg Focuses on contra dancing (think square dancing in long lines). Dances are twice a month with special dances a couple times a year. Weekly dances are free, though donations are suggested. Dances are “walked through” before each set. Great live fiddle music! Dancing Illini* publish.illinoisedu/dancing Focuses on social ballroom dancing. Offer classes for basic ballroom dances: two-step, cha cha, salsa, swing, waltz, plus bonus dances such as tango and foxtrot. Free open social dances once a month. Illini Folk Dance Society Illinifolkdancesociety.weeblycom Focuses on the enjoyment of international folk dances. Meets on Tuesday or Thursday nights from 8-10pm (sometimes Saturday) at the Illini Union throughout the year. Dances are taught during the first hour

Occasionally perform for the community, but mainly recreational. *These groups are associated with the University of Illinois through Registered Student Organizations. You should visit the Registered Student Organizations website (union.illinoisedu/get-involved/office-of-registered-organizations) for other activities There are hundreds of groups listed with the Registered Student Organizations, covering many various interest groups, from dancing to sports to social events. Source: http://www.doksinet 28 Live Music/Dancing The Canopy Club (campus) canopyclub.com 708 S Goodwin, Urbana 344-2263 Alternate music scene. Also hosts some well-known national acts from funk to country (I saw both George Clinton & Dirks Bentley there). Memphis on Main (downtown Champaign) www.facebookcom/memphismain 55 E Main, Champaign 398-1097 Various bands Friday and Saturday nights. From classic rock to metal to country. Trivia Tuesdays Karaoke Thursdays. Occasional burlesque and comedy shows Awesome

(and very strong) 32oz lemonade shake-ups! The City Center/Fat City Bar & Grill (campus) www.citycenterchampaigncom 505 S Chestnut St, Champaign 954-0556 Located just off Neil and Green, huge indoor stage area opened in 2015, plus beer garden and great food! Books both national and local acts. Cowboy Monkey (downtown Champaign) www.cowboy-monkeycom 6 Taylor St, Champaign 398-2688 cowboy.monkeymanager@gmailcom 51 Main (downtown Champaign) www.51maincucom 51 Main Street, Champaign 815-694-0693 Various bands from hiphop to metal Thurs-Saturday. Trivia Sunday, Margarita Monday + DJ, Open Mike Tuesdays, Tango/Salsa dancing Wednesdays. Outside patio seating in spring/summer. The Clark Bar (near downtown Champaign) www.theclarkbarcom 207 W Clark St, Champaign 355-0510 New upscale dance and nightclub/cocktail bar. Regular DJ dance parties. They also host comedy/benefit shows/festivals and live bands. On Wednesdays they host game nights. Nice outside patio and a couple seating areas.

Established dress code Goldy’s Bar & Grill (Country Fair Shopping Ctr) www.facebookcom/GoldysBarandGrill 123 S Mattis, Champaign 359-2177 Nestled in an old Champaign neighborhood, in an old stately home, mere blocks from downtown. Open Tuesday-Saturday 5pm-2am. Host a variety of local bands, karoke and comedy. Also have DJs, drink specials & good food! LGBTQ friendly. Huber’s West End Store www.facebookcom/huberschampaign 1312 W Church St, Champaign 352-0606 Sports bar with a little bit of everything: local bands on the weekends; good food; pool tables; gaming machines; and a beer garden in the summer. Boomerang’s (Urbana) www.boomerangsbarandgrillcom 1309 E Washington, Urbana 239-7264 Small neighborhood pub that serves lite fare and has live music on weekends. Acoustic sets, jazz on Tuesdays, BOOM-JAM open stage, Live Jukebox. The Live Karaoke Band is great! The owner is one of the area’s guitar superstars who plays with several bands! Great food. Rose Bowl Tavern

(downtown Urbana) 106 N Race St #1, Urbana 367-7031 www.facebookcom/Rose-Bowl-Tavern136641079712967 “Best kept secret in downtown Urbana”. Free summer parking lot parties are real crowd pleasers! Many Urbana High School reunions start or end at Bunny’s! Good bar food, too. Iron Post (downtown Urbana) 120 S Race St, Urbana 337-7678 www.facebookcom/theironpost tinyurl.com/ironpost Original home of country music in C-U area! Various country-related bands. Hosts a variety of entertainment regularly: jazz, blues, rock, comedy. Some national acts Outdoor patio to enjoy. Good food, too Bunny’s Tavern (downtown Urbana) www.bunnystaverncom 119 W Water St, Urbana 367-8175 Source: http://www.doksinet 29 Indoor Sports My favorite indoor sport is pool. And for those of us who like to eat, drink, and socialize while we play, we join leagues! All of the places below have food and drinks, too. Most have league-level pool tables Pool Tables Jupiter’s www.jupiterspizzacom 39 E Main St,

Champaign 398-5988 My very favorite place to play pool! Esquire Lounge esquirelounge.com 106 N Walnut, Champaign 398-5858 Jupiter’s at the Crossing jupitersatcrossing.com 2511 Village Green Pl, Champaign 366-8300 Goldy’s www.facebookcom/GoldysBarandGrill 123 S Mattis, Country Fair Shopping Ctr, Champaign 359-2177 Crane Alley www.crane-alleycom 115 E Main, Urbana 384-7526 Bowling Lanes I used to love bowling, but my old knees won’t take it now. Here are some great places to have a good time! Illini Union Western Bowl union.illinoisedu/funspots/recroom/Defaultasp westernbowl.org Basement, 1401 W Green, Urbana, 333-2415 917 Francis, Champaign 359-1678 iurecroom@illinois.edu Cosmic bowling on Friday/Saturday nights! They also have pool tables/leagues. Old Orchard Lanes Arrowhead Lanes www.oldorchardinccom arrowheadlanes.com 901 N Dunlap, Savoy 359-5281 1401 N McKinley, Champaign 352-5288 Great pizza! Mini-golf in the summer (378-4653) Party packages available for groups. Cosmic

bowling on Friday/Saturday nights! Indoor black light mini golf course. Party packages Campus Recreation Activities Full-time registered U of I students assessed a “service fee” (which is waived with your RA tuition waiver) have automatic membership and can participate in various programs and activities through Campus Recreation for basically FREE. Rock climbing, hockey, ice skating, aquatics, table tennis, badminton, squash, tennis, soccer you name it, they have a program/activity for you! Source: http://www.doksinet 30 Outdoor Recreation You can find fun things to do outside year round, in spite of the change of seasons. Where fall and spring are my favorite times of year, summer and winter hold their own special charms. A walk in the snow on a sunny day can be as invigorating as a stroll in a summer storm! Outdoor Festivals I LOVE the outdoor festivals held in C-U! FREE music accompanied by great food and artswhat could be better? There are also many free annual outdoor

festivals held in the surrounding areas. A few are listed below Boneyard Arts Festival (April 4-7, 2019) 90+ venues throughout Champaign County 40north.org/programs/boneyard Friday Night Live (Memorial Day to Labor Day) Downtown Champaign 40north.org/programs/friday-night-live Sponsored by the 40North Champaign County Arts Festival, showcases art, music, dancing, and performances in traditional and non-traditional settings in C-U and surrounding towns. Free! Urbana Park District Strawberry Jam (Jun 16, 2018) Meadowbrook Park, Urbana www.urbanaparksorg/events/strawberry-jam Free! Every Friday night from the end of May to beginning of September, from 6-8pm, performances are held at the corners of Neil& Church, Neil & Park, and Walnut & Chester. Music of all genres Champaign Park District Street Fest (June/July) Downtown Champaign champaignparks.com/streetfest “free concert with an old-fashioned flavor.” Music, strawberries and ice cream (while lasts), hayrack rides

and guided hikes through the park. 4pm-sunset Taste of Champaign (August 17-18, 2018) West Side Park, Champaign champaignparks.com/taste Free! Local bands from 7pm-midnight. Rained out in June/July 2018, so will be held on September 1 at University & Walnut! Urbana Sweetcorn Festival (August 24-25, 2018) Downtown Urbana urbanasweetcornfestival.com Free music! Arts and crafts vendors. Purchase tickets to Free music – some local, some regional and one national sample alcohol and menu items from some of C-U’s best headliner each year. Arts and craft vendors, food known restaurants. vendors, car show, and of course, Illini sweet corn!!!! Pygmalion Festival (Sept 26-29, 2018) Downtown Champaign, 51 Main annex lot www.thepygmalionfestivalcom info@thepygmalionfestival.com “Foremost boutique indie rock music festivals in the world” coupled with handmade/vintage market. Homer Soda Festival (back in 2019) Homer, IL www.homersodafestivalcom Broom Corn Festival (Sept 7-9, 2018)

Arcola, IL arcolachamber.com/arcola-broomcorn-festival Amish Country Cheese Festival (Labor Day weekend) Arthur, IL www.arthurcheesefestivalcom The National Sweetcorn Festival (Aug 30-Sept 3, 2018) Hoopeston, IL www.hoopestonjayceesorg/festival Source: http://www.doksinet 31 Parks and Nature Preserves The State of Illinois has a lot of tourist attractions to offer, especially pertaining to one of our country’s most famous presidents, Abraham Lincoln – such as the Lincoln museum and presidential library in Springfield (listed under museums). Check out www.enjoyillinoiscom for suggestions For those of you who enjoy nature, the State of Illinois has many beautiful state parks you can visit. Check out www.dnrillinoisgov/recreation for information There are also several local parks and nature preserves where you can hike, fish, bike, boat, and camp. The local parks present free summer concerts Call for schedules Champaign-Urbana Parks The Champaign Park District (398-2550) has 58

parks with a total of 510 acres. The Urbana Park District (367-1544) has 22 parks. I am listing a few here Check out their websites for more information regarding parks in your area Urbana www.urbanaparksorg Crystal Lake Park Park and Broadway (1 block N of University) 90 acres. Boats, fishing, picnic areas, playgrounds Champaign champaignparks.com Centennial Park Kirby and Crescent 140 acres. Playgrounds, swimming Family Aquatic Center (outdoor). Open Memorial Day to Labor Day. 239-SWIM (-7946) Sholem Aquatic Center (outdoor). Open Memorial Day to Labor Day. Pool/water slides 398-2581 Lake House boat rental/room rentals 328-1069 Sledding hill in the winter. Champaign County Fairgrounds, located adjacent to the park, have events every summer, including the Humane Society Garage Sale in May and the Champaign County Fair in July. Anita Purves Nature Center/Busey Woods North of Crystal Lake Aquatic Center. 384-4062 59-acre preserve. Nice hiking trails Meadowbrook Race St, south of

Windsor 130 acres. Play area, hiking trail, co-op garden, prairie restoration, outside sculpture garden. Indoor Aquatic Center 102 E Michigan (between the Urbana Middle School and Urbana High School) 384-POOL (-7665) Water slide, lap pool during public swim times. Phillips Recreation Center 505 W Stoughton, Urbana 367-1544 Dance, fitness, community programs. Main Urbana Park District registration location. Prairie Farm at Centennial Park 2202 W Kirby Ave 398-2583 Free petting zoo with barnyard animals. Open Memorial Day to early August. Hessel Park Kirby and Hessel 26 acres. Tennis courts, playground area, picnic areas West Side Park University and State 12.7 acres Playground, fountain, picnicking Taste of Champaign held every summer. Kaufman Lake 2702 W Springfield Ave 24.2 acre Fishing, hiking, picnic areas Ice-skating in winter. Helms Park (campus) 475 S Second St .10 acres Recreation area with walking paths between Springfield and University Aves. Central Illinois Area Parks and

Recreation Sites www.stateparkscom/central illinois parkshtml Curtis Orchard & Pumpkin Patch www.curtisorchardcom 3902 S Duncan Rd, Champaign 359-5565 Open July 20 – December 24. Pick your own apples, pumpkins. Petting zoo, giant slide, play area from JulyHalloween, plus corn maze, wagon rides, and pony rides for children August-Halloween. Watch as they make fresh apple donuts! A general store where you can buy apples, cider, Indian corn, gourds, and pumpkins plus arts and crafts and a café. Wildlife Prairie State Park wildlifeprairiepark.org 3826 N Taylor Rd, Hanna City (Peoria) 309-676-0998 I-74 west, Exit 82, 2-1/2 miles south, follow signs. irequest@wildlifeprairie.org 2000 acre zoological park. Bison, wolves, cougars, lynx, foxes, black bears, elk, etc, in a restored prairie setting (animals the Pioneers would have come across when coming to Illinois). 1800s Pioneer farmstead Stay overnight in a cabin or renovated train caboose. Source: http://www.doksinet 32 Allerton

Park allerton.illinoisedu 515 Old Timber Rd, Monticello 333-3287 20 minute drive from Champaign. A few miles off I-72, exit 164. allertoninfo@illinois.edu Kickapoo State Park www.stateparkscom/kickapoohtml 10906 Kickapoo Park Rd, Oakwood (east of Danville) 442-4915 About 25 miles east of Urbana. Take I-74 East john.hott@illinoisgov 6000 acre estate. Beautiful formal gardens, statues, & architecture. Can see deer there, too, if you look closely Lake of the Woods www.ccfpdorg/lake-of-the-woods-mahomet-illinois Mahomet 586-3360 10 minutes west of Champaign on I-74, Exit 174 or 173. Nice trails. Beautiful river views Canoe rentals Camping areas available. Moraine View www.dnrillinoisgov/Parks/Pages/MoraineViewaspx Near LeRoy 309-724-8032 About 40 minutes west of Champaign. I-74 West to LeRoy (exit 149), head north on Hwy 21, follow signs. Beautiful lake and botanical garden. Boating, fishing, hiking, museum, covered bridge, golf course, and picnic areas. Also have carillon with an

observation tower Homer Lake Forest Preserve ccfpd.org/Preserves/HomerLakehtml 2573 S Homer Lake Rd, Homer 896-2455 I-74 east to Rte 49, 5 miles south, follow signs. 80-acre lake on 814 acre preserve with fishing, hiking. Interpretive Center features live animals and displays. Fox Ridge State Park www.stateparkscom/fox ridgehtml 18175 State Park Rd, Charleston 345-6416 Hwy 130 out of Charleston for 8 miles. Follow signs foxridge@dnrmail.stateilus 2064 acre park with hills and bluffs. 12 acre lake for fishing, swimming, boating. Hiking and horse trails (bring your own horse) scenic overlooks, picnic areas, wildlife observation, camping. Nice lake-usually quiet. Can rent boats/swim/fish Nice hiking trails. Camping areas available Middle Fork River Forest Preserve www.ccfpdorg/Preserves/MiddleForkhtml 3485 County Rd 2700 E, Penfield 595-5432 5 miles N of Penfield. County Road 2700 E/ Rte 136 1700 acres. Waterfowl Management Area with 3 ponds Campground, swim beach, hiking trails. Walnut

Point State Park www.stateparkscom/walnut point state park in illinoi s.html 2331 E County Rd 370 N, Oakland 346-3336 I-57 south to Tuscola (exit 212). Take Hwy 36 east for 15 miles, then south on Hwy 7 for 6 miles. Follow signs rshafer@dnrmail.stateilus 59 acre lake supports fishing and ice skating/ice fishing in winter. Hiking, camping, picnic areas Located in Parke County, Western Indiana About 1 hours drive from Champaign and well worth the trip! These are my favorites, but you can find others at: www.ingov/dnr/parklake Indiana differs from Central Illinois in that there are rolling hills and deep ravines in the parks Be forewarned: entrance fees are charged at some Indiana parks. And no off-trail hiking is allowed Turkey Run State Park www.ingov/dnr/parklake/2964htm 8121 E Park Rd, Marshall, IN 765-597-2635 I-74 east to Crawfordsville; 231 south to 47 Hiking trails; boats; camp or stay at the Inn. Reservations are needed for the Inn 765-597-2211. Shades State Park

www.ingov/dnr/parklake/2970htm 7751 S 890 W, Waveland IN 765-435-2810 Down the road from Turkey Run. Gorgeous trails; river for canoeing; camping. Absolutely beautiful in the fall! Other attractions Hardy’s Reindeer Ranch (open select days Aug-Dec) www.reindeerranchcom 1356 County Road 2900 N, Rantoul, IL 893-3407 reindeerranch@hotmail.com Prairie Fruits Farm & Creamery www.prairiefruitscom 4410 N Lincoln, Champaign 643-2314 prairiefruitsinfo@gmail.com 80 acres. No gate admission Meet reindeer; go on hay Goat dairy and farmstead creamery. Offer guided tours rides for nominal fees. Visit the corn maze in the fall and In spring, meet baby goats at breakfast In summer, sign cut your own tree at Christmas. Visit the gift shop up for Farm to Table dinners. Source: http://www.doksinet 33 Travel Historic Route 66 www.enjoyillinoiscom/plan-your-trip/tripideas/view/route-66 Visit Amish Country www.illinoisamishcountrycom Arthur/Arcola, IL Drive along the “Mother Road” –

visit museums, old gas Horse-drawn buggies, quaint shops, wonderful stations, restaurants, visit roadside attractions like handcrafted furniture. You can even schedule a meal in Henry’s Ra66it Ranch (yes, he has real rabbits!) or the an Amish home! world’s largest ketchup bottle. Aikman’s Wildlife Adventure (May-Nov) www.aikmanwildlifecom 125 N County Road 425 E, Arcola 268-3500 info@aikmanwildlife.com Drive-thru animal park. Over 150 animals/50 species Astronomy Stargazing is one of the most inexpensive forms of entertainment around. go just out of town to the country and look up! There are several major meteor showers each year: in August, in October, and potentially spectacular ones in November and December. There are other minor showers throughout the year as well The Milky Way can also be visibleas long as the clouds cooperate and you aren’t near the light pollution! Staerkel Planetarium www.parklandedu/Audience/Community-Business/Parkland-Presents/Planetarium 2400 W

Bradley, Champaign 351-2446 planetarium@parkland.edu 2nd largest telescope in IL! Live-narrated tours/stories of the seasonal night skies over the prairieland; cosmic odysseys with laser lights/music. Public lectures and special events like Pluto-palooza Astronomical Society at the U of Illinois C-U Astronomical Society uias.astroillinoisedu cuas.org Observatory: 926 County Road 700 E, Tolono c/o Dept of Astronomy, 1002 W Green, Urbana 351-2567 cuas@cuas.org uias@illinois.edu Monthly meetings held at Staerkel. Host observatory open Monthly public observatory open houses are 2nd Friday of houses and Family and Public Skywatches (Saturday of the month, weather permitting. If UI student/faculty, can 1st quarter moon). Dark sky viewing with telescopes at become member and be allowed to visit the historic UI Middlefork Forest Preserve. telescope! Source: http://www.doksinet 34 Restaurants Champaign-Urbana has a wide array of restaurants, with a wide variety of foods, at a wide range of

prices. For whatever reason, some restaurants only last a year or two, but there are always new ones opening up. You will probably be spending a lot of time on campus, where you will be discovering your own places to eat. For that reason, most of the restaurants I list here are located off campus. There are many good restaurants in Campustown and I encourage you to try them. Ive put asterisks (*) next to the places that I like located on or very near campus. I am listing many of my favorite places here, listed by the primary type of food they serve. Most places listed are relatively inexpensive or moderately so – easily affordable on a University employee budget. And most have some sort of vegetarian and/or gluten free fare available. Bon Appetit! Coffee Shops Coffee seems to be a popular beverage any time of year. There are several coffee shops (that also serve food items) in Champaign-Urbana, with several different venues on campus. You can also find coffee at shops in the malls

and "grind your own" at the local grocery stores. I dont drink coffee, but here are a few of the more popular places Ive been told about Local shops Caffe Paradiso www.enjoyparadisocom *801 S Lincoln Ave, Urbana 384-6066 enjoyparadiso@gmail.com Cafe Kopi cafe-kopi.com 109 N Walnut, downtown Champaign 359-4266 cafekopi@gmail.com Coffee, tea, salads, sandwiches, pastries, and desserts! Aroma Café & Kitchen www.aroma-cafecom 118 N Neil St, downtown Champaign 356-3200 Serve salads and paninis. Local artist works on display Also serve lunch and breakfast all day. National shops Espresso Royale www.espressoroyalecom *UI Library, 1402 W Gregory, Urbana 333-7799 *1117 W Oregon, Urbana 337-6160 *602 E Daniel, Champaign 328-1112 *Krannert Art Museum, 500 E Peabody, C 344-2791 *Grainger 1301 W Springfield, C 328-1335 *1411 S Neil, Champaign 351-0928 2401 Village Green Pl, C 352-1998 Starbucks www.starbuckscom *503 E Green St, Champaign 344-8613 *Illini Union Bookstore, 809 S

Wright St, C 244-1775 *Illini Union, 1401W Green, Urbana 300-3152 *701 S Gregory, U 333-8308 Carriage Center, 2011 S Neil St, Champaign 722-3209 2702 N Prospect, Champaign 398-0821 102 N Vine (Main/Vine), Urbana 344-4502 Though started in California, they are now only found in Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. Probably the most famous coffee chain in the world Also serve food and other drinks. Distributors Walnut Street Tea Company www.walnutstreetteacom 115 S Walnut, downtown Champaign 351-6975 walnutstreettea@gmail.com Specialty grocery selling coffee, teas, sweets, and novelties. Columbia Street Roastery www.csrcoffeecom 24 E Columbia St, downtown Champaign 352-9713 Sell beans, teas, merchandise. Supply quite a few restaurants in town with their coffees. Source: http://www.doksinet 35 Desserts My motto: life is uncertain, eat dessert first!! Dessert is my favorite meal. Here are some places to satisfy your sweet tooth Frozen Custard – A Midwest favorite (and

Cindys favorite, too!) Jarlings Custard Cup www.jarlingscustardcupcom *309 W Kirby, Champaign 352-2273 comments@jarlingscustardcup.com Culver’s www.culverscom 2302 S Neil St, Champaign 352-1699 903 W Marketview Dr, Champaign 356-8132 A C-U institution! Excellent homemade frozen custard. Special flavor weekly. Open from March-Thanksgiving Freddy’s Frozen Custard and Steakburgers freddysusa.com/store/champaign 420 W Towncenter Blvd, Champaign 607-1203 Great specialty sundaes and concretes (shakes). New special flavor of the day each month. Open year round!! Krekel’s Custard and Hamburgers www.krekelscustardcom 401 W Kirby Ave 607-1861 New to town in 2018. Just moved in next door to Custard Cup. Ice Creams and Frozen Yogurt Dairy Queen www.dairyqueencom 911 W University Ave, Urbana 344-4108 1501 Lyndhurst, Savoy 356-3065 3602 N Mattis Ave, Chamapaign 373-2412 Baskin Robbins www.baskinrobbinscom *515 S Neil, Champaign 359-7005 404 W University, Urbana 328-3513 Soft serve ice

cream (milk actually) and treats, plus full brazier grill. Open year round Cold Stone Creamery www.coldstonecreamerycom *505 E Green, Champaign 367-5555 31 different flavors of ice cream and frozen yogurt. Also ice cream cakes. These shops are also combined with Dunkin Donuts! Open all year. Marble Slab Creamery www.marbleslabcom 1211 Savoy Plaza Ln, Savoy 359-5950 Homemade ice cream mixed with extras on a marble slab while you wait. Kinda pricey Cocomero (Frozen Yogurt) www.facebookcom/cocomerofrozenyogurt *709 S Wright St, Champaign 328-3888 Homemade ice cream mixed with extras while you wait. Excellent ice cream cakes. Kinda pricey TCBY (Frozen Yogurt) store.tcbycom/home/oldfarm 1731 W Kirby, Old Farm Shop, Champaign 607-5090 Self-serve frozen yogurt. Kinda pricey Over a dozen flavors daily and 50+ toppings. Chocolates and Candies Fannie May Fine Chocolates www.fanniemaycom *402 S Neil, Champaign 355-5628 Flesor’s Candy Kitchen www.flesorscandycom 101 W Sale St, Tuscola

253-3753 Chocolates and confections. Pixies have always been a favorite of my family! Not cheap, but you can get some good deals if you watch for specials and coupons. Rubens Chocolates www.facebookcom/rubenschocolates 1602 University, Urbana 418-7052 Bent Bean, Lincoln Square Village, Urbana 20 minutes south of Champaign on Rte 45 or order online. Old-fashioned confectionary and soda fountain Delicious homemade candies and ice-cream. Food, too! A Toffee Tale www.atoffeetalecom Fithian, IL 328-1500 Info: thetoffeelady2@gmail.com; Order: iwanttoffee@gmail.com Wonderful handmade Belgian chocolate treats in white, milk, or dark chocolate. Sold exclusively at Bent Bean or order on-line. Yummy handmade toffees sold at many local shops including Walnut Street Tea Company, World Harvest, Common Ground Co-Op and Art Mart, or order on-line! Source: http://www.doksinet 36 Bakeries and Dessert Shops Probably the cheapest way to get your sweet tooth satisfied is to buy an inexpensive cake

mix and a can of frosting, however that requires some effort on your part, not to mention a kitchen. Another inexpensive option would be to purchase something already prepared. Almost every grocery store, discount store, pharmacy, or gas station has a “bakery” section with prepackaged sweets (like say Twinkies or donuts), and sometimes a frozen section where you can buy frozen cakes and pies Not bad for every day, but sometimes you just need something special, for a birthday or graduation party, for example. Cakes and Pies For reasonably priced, fresh-baked cakes and pies, sweets, bread and rolls. County Market Bakery www.mycountymarketcom *331 Stoughton St, Champaign 352-4123 2901 W Kirby Ave (at Duncan Road) 351-8600 Wal-Mart Super Center Bakery www.walmartcom/ideas/entertaining/Cakes for Any Occasion/43661 2610 N Prospect Ave, Champaign 352-7659 505 S Dunlap Ave (off S Neil), Savoy 356-6437 100 S High Cross Rd, Urbana 344-6171 Great custom special occasion cakes. Good pies,

cookies, breads, donuts, etc. Reasonable prices For special occasions, this is where my family gets our cakes (Sams Club also carries baked goods – but you have to – my mom orders them with double frosting! be a member to shop there.) Meijer Bakery www.meijercom/content/contentjsp?pageName=cakesand-deli-trays 2401 N Prospect Ave, Champaign 353-4000 2500 Philo Rd, Urbana 365-5200 Also will do custom cakes. Other good baked items Schnuck’s Bakery nourish.schnuckscom/departments/bakery-department 109 N Mattis, Chamapaign 351-2600 200 N Vine, Urbana 337-6016 1301 Savoy Plaza Center, Savoy 373-0700 Bakery & Deli ordering: 866-518-4293 Donuts, bagels, bread and rolls made in store daily. Specialty Bakeries For those times you just want to splurge and aren’t going to worry about the price. The New Sweet Indulgence & Espresso Bar www.thenewsweetindulgencebiz 1121 W Windsor, Champaign 352-2433 The Cake Artist’s Studio www.thecakeartistsstudiocom 1100B W Bloomington Rd,

Champaign 403-0900 They supply many of the local restaurants with their awesome desserts! Shhh, its a secret. Recently added coffee to their menu. Cream & Flutter creamandflutter.com 114 N Walnut St, downtown Champaign 355-5400 “Where Cake is Art”. Award-winning pastry chef designs custom desserts baked on site. Beautiful wedding cakes. Perkins Family Restaurant www.perkinsrestaurantscom 1214 W University, Champaign 328-3000 Known for their gourmet cupcakes, also serve cookies, ice cream, gourmet candies and coffees. Cookies by Design www.cookiesbydesigncom 902 Meijer Dr Suite #2 344-3911 cookiesbydesign113@yahoo.com Great pies, cookies, and huge muffins. Open 24/7 Company merged with Marie Callender’s om 2006. Insomnia Cookies insomniacookies.com *502 E John, Johnstown Center 284-6172 DELIVER cookies to your door Noon-3AM! Cookie bouquets and baskets. Source: http://www.doksinet 37 Breads and Rolls Great Harvest Bread Company greatharvestchampaign.com 2149 S Neil

Street, Champaign 398-5623 tdburdick@greatharvest.com The Bread Company on Goodwin thebread.co *706 S. Goodwin, Urbana 383-1007 thebreadcompany706@gmail.com Locally owned. Variety of breads, sweets, sandwiches baked fresh daily. Panera Bread Company www.panerabreadcom *616 E Green St, Champaign 344-2528 1765 Kirby (Old Farm Shops), Champaign 355-9885 1903 Convenience Pl, Champaign 239-5000 Locally owned. Great breads and sweets Also have gourmet pizzas, sandwiches, fondue. Pekara Bakery and Bistro pekarabakery.com 116 N Neil St, Champaign 359-4500 811 W Springfield, Champaign (opening soon) pekarabistro@gmail.com Fresh breads, bagels, & sweet treats. Also serve excellent sandwiches, soups and salads. Catering Daily bread schedule. Great quiche, bread, salads, soup Donuts and Bagels Ye Olde Donut Shoppe www.facebookcom/yeoldedonutshoppe 708 W Killarney St, Urbana 359-3311 You can also find these delicious donuts at the Law School, Espresso Royale, Derald’s Catering Truck,

and local CU businesses. Call ahead one day for special orders and they will deliver. Pandmonium Doughnuts pandamoniumdoughnuts.wixsitecom/pandamoniumdoughnut s 1105 Windsor Road, Champaign 630-946-4306 PandamoniumDoughnuts@gmail.com Plus travelling food truck. See website for schedule of stops. At Urbana’s Market on the Square on Saturdays Einstein Bros. Bagels www.einsteinbroscom *1401 W Green St, Illini Union, Urbana 332-3000 *901 W University Ave, Champaign 344-7520 803 W Anthony Drive, Champaign 239-0025 Carmella’s Crème Donuts 1611 W Springfield, Champaign 531-0024 Good locally baked donuts. Small place Cash only Hours: Monday-Saturday 5:30am-4pm; Sunday 5:30am3pm. Cheaper by the dozen Dunkin Donuts www.dunkindonutscom *607 E Green St, Champaign 384-3375 *515 S Neil, Champaign 359-7005 1302 N Prospect Ave, Champaign 359-2786 404 W University, Urbana 328-3513 They also serve breakfast sandwiches. Great bagels and sandwiches. American Food Americans – or at least many

living in the Midwest – love their meat and potatoes! Most eating establishments in town feature a variety of meat selections besides the most popular beef option these days (like chicken and fish) along with something vegetarian or “healthy” on their menus (like salad). Many places also offer gluten-free selections Breakfast Most family-style restaurants offer breakfast items on their menus. Here are a few of my favorite places that specialize in breakfast foods – waffles, pancakes, omelets, etc. Source: http://www.doksinet 38 Breakfast/Lunch/Brunch ONLY The Original Pancake House www.originalpancakehousecom 1909B W Springfield, Champaign 352-8866 Le Peep www.lepeepcom 2209 S. Neil, Champaign 352-7599 Incredible pancakes, waffles and home fries. My favorites are the pecan waffles and the apple Dutch baby w/hot cinnamon glaze! Very popular, so expect a wait. Pricey. Sammy’s Pancake House (also spelled Sammie’s) 1206 N Mattis, Champaign 355-3403 In the Shoppes of

Knollwood shopping mall. Good food, nice atmosphere, little pricey. Everything from pancakes to benedicts to omelets and skillets to sandwiches and salads. Sam’s Café www.facebookcom/samscafechampaign 115 N Walnut St, downtown Champaign 352-7102 Great omelets, skillets, pancakes/crepes/French toast/waffles. I love their Mexican entrees, like carne asada. They also have burgers and salads Decent prices. Rustic coffee shop/old fashioned diner with good food at decent prices. Hours may fluctuate, but generally 6am2pm M-F Cash only Open 24/7, so you can have breakfast ANYTIME! Merry Ann’s Diner www.merry-annscom *701 S Gregory St, Urbana 344-2455 *1510 S. Neil St, Champaign 352-5399 One Main, downtown Champaign 531-1160 Open 24/7. Traditional diner, great food, good specials, good prices! Family Style Restaurants (that also serve awesome breakfasts) The Apple Dumpling www.facebookcom/dumplin1985 2014 High Cross Rd, Urbana 344-0076 Urbana Garden Family Restaurant

urbanagardenrestaurant.com 810 W Killarney St, Urbana 328-1514 An Urbana tradition for 30 years. Great home cooking! Tiny place of 15 tables – and only 3 menu specials each night. Get there early as they will sell out of some items. Sunday buffet = 3 choices of the day & salad bar Love their chicken and noodles and fried chicken. Closed Mondays. Bob Evans www.bobevanscom 1813 N Prospect, Champaign 356-1006 Daily specials and all-you-can-eat specials. Great food/good prices. Nice salad bar Serve breakfast all day. We eat here a lot The menu is so varied, you can eat something different 7 days a week and still not get through the entire menu! You can order carry-out and it will be ready for you in 10 minutes! Cracker Barrel Old Country Store www.crackerbarrelcom 2101 N Kenyon Road, Urbana 344-9087 Famous for their sausage. Great breakfast selections “Home-style” cooking at decent prices. Salads, sandwiches, dinners – everything I’ve tried is good! Perkins Family

Restaurant www.perkinsrestaurantscom *1214 W University, Urbana 328-3000 Good “home-style” food. Attached to a country store so you can browse after dinner or while waiting to be seated. I love their cornbread and hash brown casserole Courier Cafe www.couriersilvercreekcom 111 N Race, downtown Urbana 328-1811 Huge variety of menu choices, and they serve breakfast all day. Also has an on-site bakery where you can buy whole pies or slices. Be prepared for slow service Great garden (and regular) burgers, veggie quesadillas, appetizers, and a big salad bar. They also have a soda fountain and milkshakes. A bit more pricy, but worth it! Source: http://www.doksinet 39 Good Food Fast I eat a lot of fast food (as my waistline can attest), because it is easy to grab on the way to work or home. Here are my favorite non-traditional burger places: Taco Bell www.tacobellcom *1003 W University, Urbana 367-2871 *1707 S Neil Street, Champaign 403-9803 1910 W Springfield, Champaign 356-7526 10

E Anthony Dr, Champaign 398-2159 Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) www.kfccom 2201W Springfield, Champaign 352-0900 410 W University, Urbana 328-3379 1321N Dunlap, Savoy 356-1861 (w/ A&W shop) Catering: 888-532-3663 Americanized Mexican fast food cheap! Get a whole meal for under $5!! Open late most nights. 2- 3 am on Fri/Sat (excluding Anthony Dr). Serve breakfast at 7am Just great chicken: original recipe, extra crispy, grilled. Also serve side dishes and desserts. I love their coleslaw. Great biscuits, too Bucket deals or “$5 fill ups” are the way to go on a budget. Sonic America’s Drive-In www.sonicdriveincom 601 N Mattis, Champaign 356-1230 101 Calvin St, Savoy 359-8901 Arbys arbys.com Champaign: 1913 W Springfield Ave 356-0622; 1502 N Prospect 359-0026; 2310 S Neil 398-5677 Urbana: 509 N Cunningham 367-5624 Slogan: We have the meats! Finely sliced roast beef sandwiches are what they are known for. Also serve turkey, chicken, brisket, steak, corned beef, and offer

Market/Deli Sandwiches (like their delicious chicken salad) for a little more. Occasionally have fish Great sides and shakes, too. Steak n Shake www.steaknshakecom *1709 S Neil St. 352-5001, Champaign 2010 N Prospect, Champaign 398-1606 2009 N Kenyon, Urbana 344-3855 Drive thru or park and eat in your car! Burgers, hot dogs, breakfast sandwiches and burritos. Sides include awesome onion rings and tater tots. They also serve shakes and slushies (ice with favored syrup). Get a cream slushie for the best of both worlds in a huge variety of flavors (I like the watermelon and grape). Very good and inexpensive. Culver’s www.culverscom 2302 S Neil St, Champaign 352-1699 903 W Marketview Dr, Champaign 356-8132 Open 24 hours - breakfast in the mornings; lunch all day; late night menu midnight-6am. Steakburgers of all varieties, awesome thin fries, great chili (try the chili mac). Also have hot dogs and salads Incredible handdipped shakes & freezes! Great $4 menu, plus you can always

find coupons. My old high-school hangout Freddy’s Frozen Custard and Steakburgers freddysusa.com/store/champaign 420 W Towncenter Blvd, Champaign 607-1203 Known for their frozen custard, they also serve great “Butterburgers” (seared Midwest beef on bun that has been buttered) in a variety of choices. They also offer soups, sandwiches, salads, and dinner selections like pot roast, chicken, and fried cod meals. Eat in or drive-thru Open year round!! Can get coupons for buy one, get one free baskets or sundaes/concretes. Krekel’s Custard and Hamburgers www.krekelscustardcom 401 W Kirby Ave 607-1861 New to town in 2017. Really good steakburgers and fries made with with Freddy’s Famous Fry Seasoning. Try it with their special fry sauce. Just moved in next door to Custard Cup in spring 2018. I first tried Krekel’s in Decatur. Worth the trip Really good hamburgers and fries. Source: http://www.doksinet 40 Big Chain Burger Joints McDonalds (Mc-E Ds) www.mcdonaldscom They are

everywhere! Closest: *616 E Green St, campus 384-4834 Great French fries and now serve breakfast all day! Offer more “healthy” alternatives. They arent as cheap as they used to be, but based on the long lines at the drive-thru windows, they continue to be one of the most popular fast food chains around. Kids love Mc-E D’s! Wendys Old-Fashioned Hamburgers www.wendyscom Urbana: *Illini Union 337-4805; 505 N Cunningham 344-2899 Champaign: 2035 Neil St 351-2168; 2033 N Prospect, 355-9484 Wendys has great variety of items at good prices. Now offer pitas/wrap sandwiches. I love their chili, baked potatoes, and frosties (super thick ice cream drink). Burger King (BK) www.bkcom 2110 N Prospect, Champaign 398-7801 2105 W Springfield, Champaign 398-8906 *1106 W University Ave, Urbana 607-1351 1708 Philo Road, Urbana 344-2855 1325 N Dunlap Ave, Savoy 954-1442 A more adult burger place. Flame-broiled burgers, fish, chicken, salads, sides, breakfasts, and value meals. Hardees www.hardeescom

1806 W Bradley, Champaign 398-5825 Great sourdough bread sandwiches. Huge burgers Really good charbroiled chicken sandwich. Great breakfast menu including cinnamon-raisin biscuits and biscuits and gravy. (Carl’s Jr west of the Rockies) Barbeque Joints Lil Porgys Bar-B-Q www.lilporgysbbqcom 1917 W Springfield, Champaign 398-8575 101 W University, Urbana 367-1018 Excellent hickory-smoked barbecue chicken, ribs, pork, and beef. They cook over wood Different daily specials. Good prices Black Dog Smoke & Ale House www.blackdogsmokecom 201 N Broadway, Urbana 344-9342 320 N Chestnut, Champaign 954-0465 Hickory River Smokehouse hickoryriver.com 1706 N Cunningham, Urbana 337-1656 “Real” Texas barbeque. Great food, but a bit pricey I love their huge Texas taters smothered in BBQ sauce, sour cream, cheese, and onions for around $4. Have great brisket sandwiches, too. Many feel this is the best BBQ in town. Always crowded, so expect to wait. Daily specials in addition to their regular

menu. Excellent mac and cheese! Pricey Sandwich Shops Po’Boys Restaurant www.poboysurbanacom 202 E University, Urbana 367-2255 60-year-old family-owned restaurant in new location! Great BBQ, sandwiches, individual pizzas. Daily specials. Incredible homemade pies for dessert – they run out fast! Portillos Hot Dogs www.portilloscom 2306 N Prospect, Champaign 207-9000 A Chicagoland fave! Also have great Italian beef. Subway Sandwiches & Salads www.subwaycom * 616 E Green 239-0108 (24 hr); 610 E Daniel (next to Kams) 383-1033; 701 S Gregory 239-7329 Numerous locations. Bread fresh baked daily Lots of sandwich varieties. Choose your own condiments Also offer salads, wraps, and breakfast sandwiches. Source: http://www.doksinet 41 On-Campus Gems Newman Foundation, Newman Res Hall www.sjcncorg/housing/dining *604 E Armory, Champaign 344-1266 info@sjcnc.org Bevier Café beviercafe.illinoisedu 260 Bevier Hall, 905 S Goodwin, Urbana 244-4498 fshn-general@illinois.edu Made from

scratch foods served cafeteria-style at excellent prices! A U of I tradition.was popular when I went here though the menu is now greatly expanded. Not open to the public during the summer. Colonial Room at the Illini Union www.housingillinoisedu/dining/menus 1st Floor NE corner, Illini Union 244-4261 Student-operated café open M-F. Only 3-4 main entrees, a couple specials and sides daily – and they can run out early. Open 11:30am-1pm for lunch and “after hours” until 2:30pm. Excellent food at good prices Spice Box spicebox.illinoisedu Bevier Hall, 905 S Goodwin, Urbana 333-6520 CLOSED FOR 2018-19, then moving to Ballroom Lunch buffet 11:30-1:00 M-F only. Menu includes salad bar, deli bar, hot soups, beverage, and dessert, plus delicious house-made hot entrees/sides that change daily. All for $1195 (beverages, dessert, and tax included!). Student-run restaurant held periodically during the fall/spring semesters. Associated with the UI Hospitality Management Program.

Reservations required for these special events. Two menu selections: 4-course meal or 2-course options. Food Trucks Food trucks have become very popular here over the past 5+ years. Most will show up to the big festivals, Market on the Square, local fundraisers and events, and they even have a regular Food Truck Rally in downtown Urbana. They aren’t the cheapest, but are very convenient! Some have set schedules/locations around town - check their websites/Facebook for listings. Note: CASH ONLY Deralds Catering Truck *on Mathews, behind Noyes, Campus 637-0144 to order ahead Cracked www.crackedongreencom *at Mathews/Springfield (9a-2p, M-F) *619 E Green, Champaign 954-0361 (Sun-Sat 8amThe best fish sandwiches in town - on Fridays only. Has 2pm) good sandwiches & breakfast items all week. Also sells mailto:crackedtruck@gmailcom Ye Olde Donuts, chips, coffee, pop, etc. Open M-F All thing eggs. See website for truck schedule/menu roughly 8am-1pm. Piato To Go Dragonfire Pizza

piatocafe.com dragonfirepizza.net *804 E Main St, Urbana 344-9015 649-2433 info@piatocafe.com info@dragonfirepizza.net Homemade sauces. Great Hawaiian nachos Check website for schedule. Burrito King www.burritokingmexicangrillcom * 408 E Green, Champaign 607-0073 *sometimes at Goodwin/Green Downtown Champaign at night Tacos, burritos, quesadillas. I really like their chips and salsa. Tacos, Quesadillas(Orange/Blue trailer) Downtown Champaign at night Near Springfield/Mathews mornings/lunchtime Just as the trailer says Great pizza speedy fast! Check website for schedule. Chester’s BBQ www.facebookcom/chestersBBQ 302 S Neil St, Champaign 417-6985 A catering trailer that roams around town. Generally located in the Tumble Inn parking lot on Thursday and Friday nights from 6pm-2am. Source: http://www.doksinet 42 Mexican Food Mexican food is my all-time favorite food, with pizza a close second. I got spoiled living in West Los Angeles where my favorite restaurants served real

authentic Mexican food! (In my favorite Los Angeles restaurant, Pacos Tacos, Mexican women make fresh, handmade tortillas on a special grill and serve them hot to your table. A little trivia: in the movie "Jerry Maguire," Tom Cruise and Renee Zellweger have their first date at Paco’s!) Anyway, here are my local favorite Mexican places: Fiesta Café www.fiestacafecom *216 S 1st, Champaign 352-5902 I love their food, especially their chicken/mole tamales and cheese enchiladas. We call the chili con queso dip “crack dip” because it is so addictive and delicious! Maize Mexican Grill www.maizemexicangrillcom *60 E Green, Champaign 355-6400 Maize at the Station (at the old train station) *100 N Chestnut, Champaign 355-3611 I have heard rave reviews and the place is always full! The Green Street space is super tiny. Everything is made from scratch. Toro Loco 1601 N Cunningham, Urbana 344-7855 El Toro II 723 S Neil, Champaign 378-7807 El Toro Bravo 2561 W Springfield, C

351-7024 eltororestaurante.com All owned by the Fuentes family. Good food, good prices. Different specials each day Home of the Margarona (combo Corona/Margarita). They deliver! Qdoba Mexican Grill www.qdobacom *1401 W Green St, Illini Union, Urbana 552-1325 Build your own burrito, taco, bowl, nachos, salad or soup. Also serve breakfast burritos Conveniently located in the Illini Union Food Court. Panchero’s Mexican Grill pancheros.com 102 E University, Ste B, Urbana 367-4000 2009 S Neil St, Champaign 607-5982 Build your own burritos, bowls, salads, tacos and quesadillas. Some of the items cost extra, so if you aren’t careful, you can end up with a $10 burrito. Freshpressed tortillas Very tasty La Bamba www.labambaburritoscom 1905 Glenn Park, Champaign 355-6600 info@labambaburritos.com Another family-run business, the Aguas brothers’ motto is “burritos as big as your head!” And it is an accurate description. They also have quesadillas, tacos, nachos Dos Reales

www.facebookcom/pages/Dos-Reales-MexicanRestaurant/100868866625158 1407 N Prospect, Champaign 351-6879 Great authentic Mexican food at good prices. I love the Pollo a la Parilla. I think they have the best chips and salsa in town. Huaraches Moroleon www.facebookcom/Huaraches-Moroleon343380985672030 805 Philo, Urbana 344-6772 Another tiny place with excellent foodand lots of it! Authentic fare, really good prices. They bring a selection of salsas for your chips. Casa del Mar www.facebookcom/Casa-Del-Mar-2353893441503807 2870 S Philo Road, Urbana 552-1525 Upscale Mexican. Located in the Pines strip mall, near the back. Try the Molcajete! Cactus Grill www.cactusgrillchampaigncom *1405 S Neil St, Champaign 351-8226 Build your own Tex-Mex burritos, bowls, salads, tacos, and quesadillas. Pick up or delivery – no seating I love the honey grilled chicken burritos. Super daily specials Moe’s Southwest Grill www.moescom 2041 S Neil St, Champaign 352-6637 Another build your own burrito,

taco, quesadilla, salad, bowl, nacho place, but they give you free chips and salsa with every order, unlike other b-y-o places. They even offer tofu as a protein choice. Source: http://www.doksinet 43 Pizza/Italian Food There are SO many pizza places in town. Italian restaurants tend to be a little expensive so I am listing some of my favorite ones here. Inexpensive pick-up/delivery chain store pizzas on campus Papa John’s www.papajohnscom *106 E Green St, Champaign 355-5858 + two other locations in town Domino’s www.dominoscom *102 E Green St, Champaign 355-0717 + three other locations in town Great specials/coupons/late delivery. Served UI events Great specials/coupons/late delivery Served at UI events. Also have awesome pasta and sandwiches Other on-campus pizzerias DP Dough www.dpdoughcom *33B E Green St, Champaign 365-9663 Rosati’s Pizza myrosatis.com/urbana 701 S Gregory St Unit H, Urbana 328-2334 Great calzones! Have wings, salads and tots, too. Check for daily

specials and coupons. Late night delivery, too. Lunch special: one huge slice of thin crust pizza (cheese, pepperoni, sausage or meatza) and a drink for $5.50 They cater, too. Great Italian food Moderately priced pizza – but worth it! Jupiter’s www.jupiterspizzacom 39 E Main, downtown Champaign 398-5988 Jupiter’s at the Crossing 2511 Village Green Pl (Crossing), Champaign 366-8300 Monicals www.monicalscom 205 N Mattis, Champaign 359-3514 2720 S Philo Rd, Urbana 367-5781 They have great thin crust pizza. Their “family pleasers” run about $21 for 16” 1-topping pizza, family Their pizza is “out of this world”! Awesome specialty pizzas. Downtown offers late night pizza specials and ½ sized salad, and pitcher of pop – easily feeds 4 Other good Italian food at good prices. And they deliver Be price large pizzas on Tuesdays! They also have soups, salads, and sandwiches. The Crossing has a larger menu, sure to check out their coupons for discounts game room, and room for

entertainment, private events, and catering. Billiards at both locations Papa Dels Jet’s Pizza www.papadelscom jetspizza.com *1201 S Neil St, Champaign 359-7700 *512 S Neil St, Champaign 352-3333 1907 W Springfield Ave, Champaign 352-9992 For deep dish pizza, people say it is the best place around, though I really like their thin crust. Be prepared I love their 8 corner deep dish pizzas – each slice has its for at least an hour wait for your pizza after you place own corner crust! Their Aloha BBQ Chicken is my fave. your order! Also serve other Italian fare like lasagna, You can add flavors to your crust, too (I get the turbo ravioli, and spaghetti, as well as salads and sandwiches. crust) They have good thin crust pizzas, sides, subs, and I do like their garlic cheese bread. Again, be prepared salads, too. And they deliver all over town Look for for a very long wait - special ovens are the secretand coupons for good deals. the reason for the wait. Giordano’s Pizza Mia Za’s

Café giordanos.com www.miazascom 2000 N Neil Street, Market Place Mall 953-4299 *629 E Green St, Champaign 298-3198 World-famous Chicagoland stuffed deep dish pizza! Continuously voted “Chicago’s Best Pizza”. Again, be prepared for a long wait for the deep dish. They also have pastas, sandwiches, salads, and desserts. Build your own individual pizzas, paninis, salads, and pastas with great, healthy ingredients – or order a classic selection from the menu. Great desserts, too! Also have gluten free menu. Source: http://www.doksinet 44 Fazolis www.fazoliscom 2029 N Prospect, Champaign 356-4820 FAST Italian food and pizza.its really good and fairly inexpensive! I love their baked pastas. And when you dine in, you get unlimited warm, garlicy-buttered bread sticks. Papa Murphy’s www.papamurphyscom 114 N Vine St (Urbana Crossing), Urbana 344-7700 1753 W Kirby (Old Farm), Champaign 356-8000 “Take ‘N Bake” pizza. They make it fresh to order, you take it home and bake it!

Love their Delite pizzas and $10 Tuesdays specials. Cajun/Southern J. Gumbo’s Cajun Joint www.jgumboscom *700 S Gregory, Urbana 337-4840 Popeye’s Chicken popeyes.com 910 W Bloomington Rd, Champaign 954-1650 I love the veggie Bumblebee Stew and Bourbon Street Chicken. They have more delicious spicy items on the menu, too! Wonderful servicethey will let you sample a tiny taste of a dish before you order if you ask. “Louisiana” cookin’. Known for their fried chicken – both regular and spicy Cajun styles. Also serve fried fish and shrimp. Great sides and extras like jambalaya and red beans and rice. Indian Food Bombay Indian Grill www.bombayindiangrillchampaigncom *401 E Green St, Champaign 344-3380 Kohinoor Indian Restaurant and Lounge www.kohinoorchampaigncom 6 E Columbia Ave, Champaign 552-1384 Not inexpensive, but wonderful food! Lunch specials available 11am-3pm. The Himalayan Chimney 134 W Church St, Champaign 552-1834 North Indian cuisine. Again, not

inexpensive, but wonderful! I have not tried it, but heard it is good. Ambar India Restaurant 605 S Wright St, Champaign 344-1500 Greek/Middle Eastern Food Zorbas *627 E Green, Champaign 344-0710 Jerusalem Middle Eastern Cuisine *601 S Wright St, Champaign 344-8760 I’ve been eating at Zorba’s since 1976! Lunch specials every day. My favorite is the chicken gyros – I get mine with sour cream sauce. Awesome fries and baklava, too Niro’s Gyros 1007 W University, Urbana 328-6476 nirosgyrosuniversityave.com 2001 W Springfield, Champaign 355-6760 www.champaignnirosgyroscom Good food, good prices, good selection. Items like shawarma, falafels, hummus. Run alone by one man, so service can be a bit slow. Super Niro’s Gyros supernirosgyros.com 608 W Town Center Blvd, Champaign 954-1717 Gyros, falafel, hot dogs, Philly steak sandwiches, Italian beef, burgers, chicken and fish. Limited dine-in, but have drive-thru and delivery at both locations. Large, eat-in restaurant with same

fare as Niro’s Gyro’s, but with added specialties like kabob dinners, falafels, fried shrimp, rib eye steak sandwiches, turkey and salmon burgers. You can drive thru or have them deliver! I love their kabob combo. Source: http://www.doksinet 45 Thai, Japanese, Chinese Food Thai I love Thai food, though it tends to be a bit pricey. It is that perfect mixture of sweet and spicy We are lucky to have several places in town; unfortunately, no one serves my favorite dish: Mi Krob.  The Y Thai & Chinese Eatery universityymca.org/yeatery *lst floor, YMCA, 1001 S Wright, C 337-1500 Pho Café Thai Kitchen Great pad thai at good prices. Open 10:30am-4:00pm, Monday-Friday. Closed during the summer Basil Thai Urbana basilthaiaturbana.com/40166 *701 S Gregory Pl, Urbana 344-8662 Really tasty Thai and Vietnamese cuisine. Authentic Thai cuisine. I always get their Pad Thai Siam Terrace www.siamterracecom 212 W Main, downtown Urbana 367-THAI (-8424) siamterrace@yahoo.com My Thai

students said this is the best Thai food in CU. My Thai www.mythaichampaigncom 2312 W Springfield, Champaign 351-THAI (-8424) mythaichampaign@yahoo.com *611B E Green St, Champaign 552-1106 Bangkok Thai and Pho 911 *410 E Green Street, Champaign 954-1641 Bangkok Thai and Pho 911 #2: 1104 N Cunningham Ave, Urbana 607-5828 Thara Thai Pan-Asian Restaurant tharathairestaurant.com 912 1/2 W Bloomington Rd, Champaign 378-1986 tharathairestaurant@gmail.com Family owned and operated. Small place, great food Serve Thai, Japanese, and sushi. Really good food Chinese Quick Chinese (Small dine-in, take-out only places. No delivery) China Garden Super Wok chinagardenurbana.com/38217 www.gosuperwokcom 114 N Vine St (Urbana Crossing), Urbana 367-6588 1737 W Kirby Ave (Old Farm), Champaign 398-0111 In Urbana Crossing mall. Good food, good prices I love their black pepper chicken. Sit-down Chinese Golden Harbor www.goldenharboronlinecom *505 S Neil St, Champaign 398-8988 Authentic Chinese/Taiwan

cuisine. Most highly recommended by my Chinese students! No tips; 5% off when pay cash. Massive handwritten menu on wall (both Chinese/English). Food served family-style Peking Garden www.pekinggardenchampaigncom 206 N Randolph, downtown Champaign 355-8888 Good food, good prices. Great chicken angel hair! Rainbow Garden www.rainbow-gardencom 1402 S Neil St, Champaign 398-2670 202 E University Ave, Urbana 344-1888 Great food, a bit pricey, but I really like it. Love their pan fried noodle and rice noodle dishes! And as a bonus, they deliver! Auntie Lee’s Chinese Kitchen www.auntieleechampaigncom *49B E Green St, Champaign 693-7928 Tucked away in the Robeson Building. Great food, good Formerly Shanghai 1938 Chinese Restaurant at the prices. Love their pan fried noodles and lunch specials Crossing, which also had a food truck. Good food, They deliver! decent prices. Delivery Open until 3:00am! Source: http://www.doksinet 46 Chinese Buffets Chinatown Buffet 713 Marketview Dr,

Champaign 398-9888 Sunny China Buffet www.sunnychinabuffetcom 1703 Philo Rd, Urbana 367-8883 Huge buffet with Chinese and American foods. Smaller buffet, but really good food! Japanese/Sushi Ko-Fusion www.kofusioncom *701 S Gregory, Suite F, Urbana 954-1572 campus@kofusion.com Ko-Fusion www.kofusioncom 1 E Main, downtown Champaign 531-1166 info@kofusion.com Sushi and stir fry menus. Casual dining with dollar sushi menu and quick affordable meals. Oishi Hibachi Steak House www.oishichampaigncom 2501 N Prospect Ave, Champaign 398-6888 Sushi and stir fry menus. Upscale atmosphere Lunch buffet M-F and dollar sushi Sundays and Mondays. Sarku Japan www.sarkujapancom Market Place Mall food court 378-8028 A bit pricey, but nice atmosphere and great food. Can order off menu or sit at hibachi table. Their specialty is teriyaki chicken. Vegetarian Fare Most restaurants have some vegetarian selections on their menus. Here are a couple vegetarian places that I am aware of Red Herring

Vegetarian Restaurant www.channingmurrayorg/redherring *1209 W Oregon, Urbana 367-2340 Strawberry Fields Café www.strawberry-fieldscom 306 W Springfield Ave, Urbana 328-1655 “Voted Best Vegetarian Menu Options in Best of CU for 2012.” Vegan, vegetarian, and gluten free options The Dancing Dog Eatery & Juicery www.dancingdogeaterycom 126 W Main Street, Urbana 552-1344 There is a small café located in the store. Also sell natural and organic foods. Common Ground Co-op www.commongroundcoop 300 S Broadway (Lincoln Square), Urbana 352-3347 100% vegan cuisine. In Fall 2017, they are going to begin offering Kosher items. Salad bar, pizzas, soups and sandwiches. In-store seating or grab and go options. Restaurant/Bars There are far too many bars to mention in town. Some I have already listed under the Dancing and Indoor Recreation sections, so please refer back to those sections for places like Jupiter’s, Goldy’s, Bunny’s, Boomerang’s, etc. Here are a few more places

that have good food. Some are on the pricey side, so I only go there occasionally Murphy’s Pub murphyspubuofi.com *604 E Green St, Champaign 344-4372 murphyspubuofi@gmail.com Irish pub. Great burgers and fries This place has been around since before I was in college! You might even find my initials on one of the tables. Dublin’s Champaign https://www.dublinschampaigncom/ 301 N Neil St, downtown Champaign 531-1152 Fashioned on old Irish pubs, serves brews and authentic Irish food for lunch, dinner and late night snacks. Weekend brunch. Also have live music at various times of the year. Source: http://www.doksinet 47 Seven Saints sevensaintsbar.com 32 E Chester St, downtown Champaign 351-7775 7saintsgm@gmail.com Upscale bar with old world atmosphere. Awesome cheese curds appetizer and grilled chicken salad sandwiches. Crane Alley www.crane-alleycom 115 W Main, downtown Urbana 384-7526 They claim to have the largest beer selection in C-U! Also serve burgers and “gastropub style

entrees”. Very popular beer tours – taste beers from around the world. TGI Fridays www.tgifridayscom 103 W Marketview Dr, Champaign 352-8443 Neat place to get appetizers, meals, drinks, and desserts. I love their Jack Daniel’s Grill items. A little pricey, though they offer an appetizer deal where you get enough food that can serve as a meal and saves money! Chilis Grill and Bar www.chiliscom 1905 N Prospect, Champaign 398-2161 Great Southwestern/Tex-Mex choices along with ribs, steaks, chicken, and seafood. 2 for $20 meals and lighter fare as well. Esquire Lounge www.esquireloungecom 106 N Walnut, downtown Champaign 398-5858 Great ribeye sandwiches, Asian dumpling appetizers, and individual sized pizzas. Awesome pineapple margaritas. Can also play pool or enjoy outdoor seating DESTIHL Restaurant and Brew Works www.destihlcom 301 N Neil St, Champaign 356-0301 They tout themselves as a “gastrobrewpub”. Microbrewery with craft beers and pub favorites cooked from scratch. Also

have a weekend brunch with breakfast fare. Billy Barooz Pub and Grill www.billybaroozcom 2521 Village Green Pl, Champaign 355-8030 Great place to watch Illini games on TV with other fans. I usually get their deconstructed nachos (all ingredients served separately). Applebee’s applebees.com 2121 N Prospect, Champaign 359-8178 1201 N Dunlap, Savoy 359-1894 Great food, great specials. Love their 2 for $20 meals Have a lighter fare menu for those watching their calories. Buffalo Wild Wings (aka “B-Dubs” or “BW3”) www.buffalowildwingscom 907 W Marketview Dr, Champaign 378-4400 1335 Savoy Plaza Dr, Savoy 356-9464 Sports bar with chicken wings with your choice of 16 sauces from mild to blazin’! Other foods, too. Source: http://www.doksinet 48 Out of My Normal Price Range If you have a special occasion to celebrate, the following places will offer nice atmosphere, along with wine menus and the other niceties a more up-scale restaurant has to offer. Generally, lunches at these

places are cheaper than dinners, though sometimes the portions are smaller or they offer a limited menu at lunch. Another way to beat the higher prices is to go for their dinner specials (2-for-1 meals) or look for on-line coupons. There are many more fine dining places in town you may discover while you are here. Upscale Italian Places Timpone s www.timpones-urbanacom *710 S Goodwin, Urbana 344-7619 Biaggi’s www.biaggiscom 2235 S Neil, Champaign 356-4300 Excellent nouveau cuisine, right on campus! They have their own private wine cellar. I love their pizza Olive Garden www.olivegardencom 30 E Anthony Dr, Champaign 351-6339 Great breads, good food. Nouveau-style portions My mom’s favorite fancy place to eat. Manzella’s Italian Patio Restaurant www.manzellasitalianrestaurantcom *115 S First St, Champaign 352-7624 Great food & desserts. Fairly reasonable prices All you Family owned & operated for over 50 years Great can eat soup, salad, and breadsticks is a great deal!

Italian food at reasonable prices. And they deliver! Steakhouses The Rib Eye www.theribeyerestaurantorg *1701 S Neil, Champaign 351-9115 Alexanders Steakhouse alexanderssteak.com 202 W Anthony, Champaign 359-1789 Known for their impressive salad bar, great steak, and twice baked potatoes. I love their huge fried shrimp and their Sunday/Monday nights Steak for 2 special! Open at 4:30pm during the week; 4:00pm on weekends. Hamilton Walker’s Steaks, Seafood, Spirits www.hamiltonwalkerscom 201 N Neil Street, Champaign 350-0363 Great steaks that you pick out and can cook yourself, if you like. Interesting concept, but I like my meals served to me when Im eating out! Other great selections, too. Open 4:00pm during the week; 11:00am on weekends. Longhorn Steakhouse www.longhornsteakhousecom 2101 N Prospect Ave, Champaign 352-9189 They have a nice Sunday brunch menu and an awesome Easter brunch buffet. Outback Steakhouse (yup.Aussie decor!) www.outbackcom 2402 N Prospect, Champaign

398-3322 Excellent food. They also offer specials that are a little different than your normal steakhouse fare. Texas Roadhouse www.texasroadhousecom 204 N Country Fair Dr, Champaign 355-9901 They serve beef, and lots of it. Also offer chicken and sea foods. I love their Bloomin’ Onion appetizer Opens at 4:00pm Mon-Thurs; 11:00am Fri-Sun. A more casual steakhouse. Start off with peanuts in the shell and great rolls with warm cinnamon butter! I love their smothered chicken and prime rib. Seafood /Fine Dining Red Lobster (Cin’s favorite fancy place to eat!) www.redlobstercom 1901 N Prospect, Champaign 355-2577 Silvercreek www.couriersilvercreekcom/silvercreek 402 N Race, Urbana 328-3402 Great seafood, fish and desserts. They are known for their garlic cheese biscuits. I love their coconut shrimp and shrimp fettuccini! Nice atmosphere with great food. They have a nice Greenhouse open for their Sunday brunches from 10am2:30pm. Owners also manage the Courier Cafe Source:

http://www.doksinet 49 Radio Maria Restaurant and Tapas Bar www.radiomariarestaurantcom 119 N Walnut, downtown Champaign 398-7729 radiomariarestaurant@gmail.com Really cool décor – owned by artists. Very eclectic selection of American and international nouveau cuisine. Small place, so be prepared to wait. Houlihan’s www.houlihanscom/eats-and-drinks/champaign 1900 South First Street, Champaign 819-5005 Adjacent to the I-Hotel, just south of the State Farm Center. Happy Apps & Drink Specials Foods are made from scratch. Veggie/gluten free options Baxters American Grille “Chop House and Wine Bar” www.baxtersgrillecom 100 Trade Center Drive, Champaign 239-9299 Great happy hour appetizer specials! Nice selection of house specials alongside pizzas, wraps, salads, and sandwiches. Occasional live music Sun Singer Wine & Spirits www.sunsingerwinescom 1115 W Windsor Rd, Champaign 351-1115 Wine bar with excellent food and a weekend brunch. Oyster week is the 3rd week of the

month – served after 4pm. You can also buy wine and deli fare